Dalila Runihura
by UndergroundValentine
Summary: Sequel to Naeemah Baniti. It's been three years since Drake was brought before Adam- the Pharaoh of all Egypt- to be his new lover alongside with Tommy. Things have been blissful, until a wave of fevers threatens to take a life and, yet, bring one back.
1. Prologue

Welcome to the sequel of "Naeemah Baniti"! Hope you guys like it as much as you did NB. Enjoy the ride. *heart*

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Prologue  
Cassidy's POV**

The dungeon was cold, more than cold really. I'd never experienced winter before since I had spent most of my life in Egypt or in places further south, but I imagined this is what it would feel like. Though, I did believe that winter would be much more beautiful than this hopeless, dead Hell hole.

Bradley was curled up in a ball, no doubt knowing what awaited him today. He was small. Much smaller than I ever remember him. He almost appeared to be a skeleton who's flesh had not decayed away yet. I knocked on the glass, waiting for him to respond to me. I loved Adam dearly and I knew that he needed to go out and find Drake but did I really have to walk my own lover to his death? How had I ever loved a monster like him anyway?

"Bradley, get up," I said harshly. His eyes were sunken back into his skull, leaving a ghostly appearance about him. Perhaps his execution did not matter at all. He was already dead. "It's time to go." He pulled himself over to the glass wall, staring up at me with haunting black eyes.

"Cass?" he asked hoarsely. He was probably in desperate need to water and nourishment. Adam had cut off all food to him before he left to search for Drake and I couldn't blame the king for his discussions. Feeding Bradley was only wasting food. "Baby, what are you doing here?" he questioned, hope swelling into his once beautiful, chocolate eyes. I saw nothing but death and misery there now.

"Don't," I told him, opening the door to the cell. It had been fixed recently, keeping Brad trapped on the other side. "I am here to take you to your execution. Our Pharaoh has gone to save the boy that you repeatedly tried to break," I said as I walked over to him, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him roughly to his feet. He had a hard time staying up, but he managed. His eyes never left mine though.

"You can't possibly be taking your own lover to be killed!" he retaliated, staring at me in horror.

I merely sighed, pulling him out of the cell. I motioned for one of the guards to come over. He cuffed Brad's hands behind his back with a long chain hanging loosely between them. I thanked the guard and began pushing Bradley through the dungeon, up every stair. The guard followed me, probably on orders from Adam to make sure Bradley didn't try anything. "Baby…" Brad started again and I had half a mind to hit him. But I didn't. Not yet anyway.

"I said _don't_, Bradley. Pharaoh left me in charge and I will make damned sure that your punishment is carried out. I am not your baby anymore," I hissed at him. "After what you did to that poor boy, how could you have the audacity to call me such?" I was enraged, but I kept myself in control. "You deserve everything you are getting, Bradley. I do not pity you and I will not save you."

In reality, my heart was breaking apart in my chest. I knew what Brad had done was completely horrible and he deserved punishment but somewhere, deep down, Brad was still the person I fell in love with… I had to believe that to keep myself from completely falling apart. I couldn't believe that he was simply pretending that entire time. I refused to think that way.

"Cassidy, please…" he whimpered softly but I just shook my head and pushed him out of the palace. Three more guards joined the first as we walked out to the front steps of the palace. We were about three stories above ground level and we stood at the platform at the top of the massive stair case. Hundreds upon hundreds of Egyptians stood at the base of the stairs, waiting to see Brad's life come to an end. It sickened me to think that these people would actually enjoy watching someone die. It sickened me to know that they would even let their children witness such cruelty.

"I do not pity you, Bradley, I have already made that clear. I will not save you from your fate," I repeated, turning him to face me. He stared me in the eye, tears brimming along his eyelids.

Regret filled his eyes and sweat poured down his face. It was hot out, ungodly so, but he wasn't sweating because of the sun. He was about to meet his end and that realization was finally catching up with him. Seeing that he former lover was going to be the one to carry out the execution probably made it all the more real for him. "Cassidy, I'm sorry…" he whispered, one tear rolling down his chalky-white cheek. He had been kept in the dungeons so long, his skin had literally turned to nothing but dried chalk.

I bit my lip, turning away from him to face the crowd. I couldn't bring myself to watch Brad cry. What I was about to do to him, despite his crimes, was already hard enough to handle. "Hello people of Egypt," I called out to the crowd. Everyone calmed and silence filled the air. It appeared that nobody was even breathing anymore. "I know you were all expecting to see Our Pharaoh out here today, but he is tending to some very important business dealing with his love. He regrets not being here in person, but he prays you will all understand." People glanced around, probably unsure what to make of the situation. Most people didn't really know Adam had found a new lover, so that news was probably shocking enough.

"But I, Cassidy, Our Pharaoh's trusted adviser will be filling in for him today," I looked back at Brad. Two guards were holding him by the arms, a black bag covering his head. Today he would be meeting the guillotine for the first and last time. It was a very primitive way to execute criminals, I believed, but it was certain to get the job done. Who could survive with no head?

I looked back out at the crowd, watching at they all looked from the massive contraption holding an angled, sharp blade at the top of two wooden posts. "Today we Bradley to the Afterlife prematurely. He has been charged with two accounts of rape, several accounts of assault and harassment, one account of cold blooded murder of a five year old girl and betrayal of the Pharaoh of Egypt. Today he will meet his makers and, once he has left this world forever, the Gods will decide where he is best fit to live the rest of eternity."

The crowd roared again, rage pulsing through them. I was sure it was the killing of Anna that got them all on edge. Sure, his other crimes were awful, but killing an innocent child simply because you didn't get away with raping her brother? That was just… lower than low.

My eyes washed over the audience. People of all shapes and sizes were present. I even saw a group of people, all with resemblance to Drake. I could only assume that they were his mother and four remaining siblings. One of them, the tallest, looked almost identical to Drake. He must have been the second oldest of the family. My eyes didn't linger anywhere in particular for long, but I did see one face that I should not have been seeing.

_Drake._

He stood out in the crowd, staring up at the guillotine. His bright blue eyes were startling against the crowd. I knew I was only imagining seeing the color so clearly. He was too far away for me to see that kind of detail, but how did he get here? Wasn't he supposed to be off, miles away from this place?

Behind me I could hear Brad cursing at the guards, feebly trying to escape their grasp as they pulled him over to the device that would end his life. I turned back just long enough to watch them force him to his knees and bend over. His neck came to rest in a semicircle, the blades final resting place. A large basket had been placed on one side of the machine to catch his head once it fell… My stomach churned and I looked back at the crowd. All of them still seemed to be holding their breath in anticipation. How could they all want to see this so badly?

My eyes drifted back to Drake, but he was turning away from the rest of the crowd. One thing struck me most out of all the details about the Pharaoh's lover. He didn't have the wing tattoos on his arms. There were no purple inkings and I simply started as he vanished into the sea of people, cut off from my line of sight. Surely I had to be imagining things. If that wasn't Drake, and it wasn't anyone in Drake's family, then it could have only been Alexander…

But Alexander had been dead for almost seven years now. There was absolutely no way that was him. When the crowd started shouting, demanding for Brad to lose his head right then and there, I shook my head. Today was a stressful day. I would not put it past my mind to create some sort of illusion. I was simply imagining Alexander being there. Or perhaps I was seeing a ghost. It was all together possible. Some spirits remained in this world until they were satisfied enough to rest peacefully. Perhaps Alexander's ghost was watching over Adam until he felt Adam was in good hands?

Or maybe I really was just imagining him. Either way, I decided to keep that detail to myself. If I was crazy, no one else needed to know it. Surely it was simply the heat of the sun and stress of today. The knowledge that I was about to send my own lover to his death… That was enough to send anybody into a delicate state of mind. Not to mention, I was technically the pharaoh of Egypt until Adam returned. Talk about pressure.

I pressed my finger tips to my temples, rubbing them for a moment before turning to the guard waiting for me to give him approval. "Do it," I told him. The chocolate toned man simply nodded, as if the fact that he was about to kill someone didn't bother him at all. He pulled the lever that released the guillotines blade and I watched as if began to fall, it's pace increasing rapidly until it connected with the wood at the base of Brad's neck with a loud _thump_.

The black sack fell forward into the basket with Brad's cranium enclosed inside of it. The rest of Brad's body was hidden behind the massive blade, leaving only traces of blood on the shining silver and the wood of the guillotine.

The ghost of Bradley's final screams filled the otherwise silent air.


	2. Cause It's Gon' Be Me And You Tonight

**Chapter One: Forget About The World, Cause It's Gon' Be Me And You Tonight**

**Adam's POV**

I pressed a kiss to his neck, gentle and soft. Like a caress of a feather against his warm flesh. He shivered lightly, a smile pulling at his thin lips as his fingers dove into my hair. He tugged on the inky locks, ripping a moan from my throat as my tongue licked a patch of skin just along the underside of his jaw. He tasted like vanilla and sweat; like himself.

My fingers slid down his sides, along his ribs, resting at the waistband of his trousers. My tongue licked and teased the side of his throat, causing him to moan and tremble beneath my touch as his hands tightened in my hair. His chest rose and fell with deep breaths as I pulled on his trousers, tugging them down around his thighs before tossing them off of the side of the bed. They fell with a soft _thump_ of cloth hitting stone before the room fell silent again. He was naked beneath me, but this wasn't the first time.

Drake had been my lover for three years now; tonight was his twenty-first birthday. I wanted to make it special for him. Sure, I'd made his previous two birthdays with me special, but this was different. I had something in mind that I'd never done before. I'd considered it for the past year before deciding that tonight would be the best night to give it to him. Tonight would be perfect.

My lips left a feather light kiss to his chest as my fingers massaged into his hips, right over the inkings of "lover" that were tattooed into his skin. Drake sighed softly, running his fingers through my hair as I dipped my head, kissing his stomach gently. He smiled, chucking quietly as I licked the flat surface of his skin, cleaning him of the sweat that had gathered there. Most nights it was cool or cold, but tonight it was warm, but that could've been fault of our hours of touching, kissing and teasing. He giggled, curling away from my tongue for a brief moment. I laughed, kissing just below his belly-button.

"Adam," he muttered gently, pulling on my hair enough to lift my head. I smiled at him, crawling back up along his body to leave a kiss on his lips. He moaned, his fingers tangled into the hair on the back of my head as I cupped his face in my palms, his tongue tasting mine as it pushed into my mouth. I moaned quietly, my eyes slipping shut as my tongue teased his, sliding over and under it before I pulled away.

Drake whined at the loss and I smirked, kissing his cheek, "Patience, baby…" I told him, my words just under a soft breath that ghosted itself along his skin. He whined again, his lips curling into a pout. I chuckled, gently kissing him again. He smiled against my mouth as I reached up, pulling his hands from my hair. I pulled away from his lips, licking his cheek lightly as I shifted a little lower down his body. My fingers trailed against the curves of his thighs, making him shiver.

A soft giggle fell off of his tongue as my hands pushed his legs apart, my fingers running along the insides of his thighs. The scars that Brad had left behind were fading away. Thin white lines that were barely poking out of his skin. I swallowed a lump in my throat, pushing the memory away before kissing Drake's stomach and chest again as my palms rested on his thighs. He shivered gently, dragging his fingers through my hair again.

I kissed his stomach once more, my hands moving inward on his skin. Drake inhaled slowly as I slid up his body, pressing my lips to his throat as I pushed two fingers inside of him. Drake's back lifted off of the bed in an arch and he gasped, tightening around my fingers ever so slightly. I nipped the skin of his neck lightly, earning another soft gasp as I moved my fingers inside of him. Drake wasn't one to want a whole lot of prep, but I did it anyway just to get him into the mood. Not to mention, I was bigger than he would sometimes give me credit for, and I hated hurting him, even if he told me he loved it.

"Adam…" Drake moaned softly as I worked him open, using only two fingers. His jaw was slack with a gasp and his eyes were closed, a blush flaming across his face. I smiled softly, trembles of ecstasy rolling down my spine. I kissed his jaw, scissoring him delicately, shivering at the sound of his moans. I bit down on my bottom lip, pushing my fingers father into him, nudging that spot that forced him to arch again, his hands clenching the sheets of the bed.

"Oh, fuck…" He gasped, his eyes screwed shut with pleasure. I chewed on my bottom lip, pulling my fingers out of him for a moment. Drake whined as I crawled across the bed, sliding off long enough to pull my own trousers off and reach under the bed for the small bottle of lotion that I kept for things like this.

I glanced over my shoulder to Drake, seeing him pushing himself up onto his elbows. I stared at his position for a moment before smiling, pulling myself back up onto the bed and crawling over to him. I pressed a kiss to his lips, stealing a moan from his throat and returning it with love, my palm cupping his cheek delicately. Drake's tongue teased my lower lip, but I pushed past and slid my own into his mouth, tasting the inside of his left cheek before slipping away.

"Baby.." He whined and I laughed, kissing him again, nudging the bottle of lotion into his hand. He glanced down at it, another blush spreading like fire across his skin. Despite the fact that I'd taken him in just about every position possible and made him scream my name some nights, he still got embarrassed about the littlest things.

"Come on, love," I whispered in his ear, breathing hot and heavy against the shell. He trembled his fingers curling around the bottle before he uncapped it, squeezing the lotion onto his fingers. I bit down on my bottom lip, my hand coming up to palm his cheek before sliding into his hair. He shifted, sitting on his knees as I pressed my forehead to his, feeling his lotion-slicked fingers curling around my erection. I gasped, moaning and letting my eyes slide shut.

Drake's artistic fingers were long, elegant and worn at the tips from holding paintbrushes and sculpting. They weren't like Tommy's, which were calloused from playing guitar, but they had their own stiffness to the pads. Trembles shot up and down my spine, curling around the ball of pleasure in the base of my spine and making it ache for a few, short moments. I moaned, breathing hard as Drake kissed and nipped my neck. I tensed as he pulled on my member, my body shaking.

"D-Drake…" I gasped, burying half of my face into his chocolate brown hair, inhaling the smell of vanilla. Drake's fingers tightened, his wrist twisting and turning, his thumb swiping over the slit. I arched, panting softly, feeling the tension coil in my stomach. Despite the pleasure, I didn't want to come… I wanted to release inside of Drake, not on his hands. But he showed no motive to stop.

"Baby…" I whimpered, my hand tightening in his hair as he licked a strip of skin below my ear, his teeth hooking into my lobe, sucking on it. I gasped, whining quietly as I clenched my eyes shut, my body tensing again as his fingers tightened around me more. "Drake… I.. I— baby, please.." I groaned, arching into his touch, my hips thrusting to meet his hand.

"Come on, Adam… Come for me." He said, his voice demanding yet sweet. I gasped, whining as I thrust up into his touch again, crying out softly as I came. White flashed over my vision and I panted lightly, shaking as all senses of thought, sight and hearing left me for a few short moments. I swallowed the dry lump in my throat, coming off of my high. I pressed my forehead to Drake's again, breathing hard as I opened my eyes.

"Baby, I—" I began to say, but when I opened my eyes and pulled away, I found Drake dragging his fingers through the come that had splattered on his stomach. He raised his hand, running the tips of his fingers on his tongue, his eyes locked on mine. I couldn't breathe; his eyes were dazed with lust and heated want, his lower lip glistening with my seed. His cheeks were flamed with a blush and he looked like he was ready to devour my soul and fuck it senselessly.

I felt a twitch in my member and I knew I was getting hard again. But I couldn't look away from Drake. I watched him as he dipped his fingers into the white on his skin, cleaning himself, his eyes staring deep into me the entire time. But he left the touch of my release on his lips, acting as if it was a stain of makeup and not my love. I moaned as he finished cleaning himself.

His hand reached out, curling over my shoulder as he pushed me down onto my back. He climbed over me, straddling my hips but keeping himself above my member so as not to tempt me to do anything. He bent his head down, kissing my collarbone before licking a nipple. I gasped, arching slightly. Drake knew me better than most, especially when it came to my body. It didn't take him long to figure out that touching, twisting, pinching and licking my nipples drove me insane. Almost as much as pulling on my hair.. Maybe more so.

"Fuck, Drake…" I groaned, my eyes slipping shut as I felt another twitch of my member. It wouldn't be long for me to get completely hard again, for Drake was making sure of that himself. His tongue swirled and teased the brown bud before his teeth hooked around it, and he sucked. I gasped, whining and running my fingers into his hair again. He moaned when I pulled on it, coming down enough that my member wasn't pressing up into him, yet, but I was able to grind up against him.

"Baby, please… I.. I need you. I need.." I moaned, biting down on my bottom lip as he pulled away from my nipple. A gust of cold air washed over the split-slicked bud and I moaned quietly. Drake's eyes were dark with need and he smirked, leaning close to my ear.

"Then take me, Adam. _Get. In. Me._" He hissed gently, licking my earlobe, grinding his ass over my member again. I reached forward, grabbing his hips, my thumbs just below the last hieroglyphics that were tattooed into his skin. I pushed him up enough to reposition his body before bringing him down slowly upon my member. Drake's eyes slid shut for a moment, his jaw dropping in a soft cry as I slid up into him, sheathing myself completely.

Drake's back was arched into a delicate curve, his hands palmed over mine as I rocked my hips up into his. His hair swished around his face, hanging like dark curtains to the color of his skin. In the years of living in my palace, Drake would often venture out to the gardens for inspiration and, thus, got tanned in the process. But I could still remember when he was first brought to me, how pale he'd been with dirt on his cheek…

"Fuck, Adam…" He groaned quietly, moving his hips to meet my thrusts. I gasped softly, rocking up into him again. He tightened around my member as I shoved up again and I grunted loudly, breathing hard.

"Kinky little bitch," I mumbled and Drake laughed before falling into a moan. He tilted his head forward, eyes closed in pleasure, mouth open in a breath. I stared up at his face for a moment before letting my eyes fall shut. Of all the positions Drake and I had been in when we made love, this was, by far, our favorite. It allowed for deep penetration, maximum pleasure. Not to mention, this was the position we'd been in when he gave me his virginity three years ago…

"You like it, baby," he groaned in response, tightening around me again. I thrust up into that spot, forcing a loud cry from his lips. I trembled, moaning as I gripped his hips tighter, the tattoos standing out almost like black against white.

"You know I fucking do… _Fuck!_" I shouted, feeling pangs of pleasure pounding into my body. Drake's body arched with tension as I rocked up into him again. For a moment I wanted to roll over and switch the roles. I wanted to let Drake pound mercilessly into me. It'd been years since I let someone take me the way I'd taken my boys. Years… I missed the feeling of being filled, being fucked. But I couldn't force myself to pull out and let Drake fuck me. Maybe another night, I would…

"Yes… Mm, Adam.." Drake gasped, whining, "More, more… Harder…" I groaned, pushing up harder, faster than before. Drake cried out, moaning in heat, one of his hands falling away from mine to curl around his own throbbing member. I choked on a breath, watching his hand moving fluidly, twisting and curling around his erection as he stroked himself in time with my thrusts. I moaned, my eyes fluttering softly, but not fully closing.

"Baby… Fuck.." I hissed, clenching him tighter thrusting harder into him. The second ball of tension was curling in my stomach and I was close to my release for the second time to tonight. Drake whined, trembling over me, his body tight around my member. My eyes slid closed and I gasped, panting hard as I thrust up into him as fast and as deep as I could. Drake's whines were growing louder, more into cries than anything.

"Aah… Adam… Mm, Ada-aahh!" Drake cried, gasping and shaking, "fuck, Adam, I— I—! A-_Adam!_" He screamed, releasing onto his hand, stomach and chest, and even on me as I rocked up into him again, coming undone deep inside of him. I moaned, feeling him tremble once before he collapsed onto my chest, smearing his release onto my skin.

Panting, I eased myself out of him before wrapping my arms around his waist, gently kissing his jaw. Drake was gasping for breath, moaning quietly as he shivered. I smiled, grabbing the corner of the sheet, pressing it to his chest and cleaning himself off before wiping myself down. I tossed the corner away, uncaring at the moment as I kissed Drake's lips, tender and sweet. He moaned into my touch, shaking fingers caressing my cheek.

My heart was pounding in my chest, but there was something I needed to ask him. I was exhausted from making love to him, but the nervousness that was building up in my throat kept me aware. It gave me the surges of adrenaline I needed to fuel my words. I pulled away from his lips, earning a quiet whine as I palmed his face, "Drake?" I whispered. His eyes fluttered softly, exhaustion on his face, but he smiled, turning to kiss my palm.

"Yes, my love?" He replied. My heart skipped a beat and I blushed, kissing him again.

"I… I want to ask you something… A-and, if you're not ready, then you can deny me. I won't stop you, and you know that." I told him, my voice calm and stern despite the soft stutter that I had. Drake's eyes widened slightly and he was more aware now than he was just ten seconds ago. His eyes searched mine for what I wanted to ask, but I knew he would never find it.

"You know I will never deny you anything, Adam. Whatever you ask of me, it's yours. _I'm_ yours." He whispered, ghosting a kiss to my lips. I moaned, smiling softly as I caressed his cheek with my thumb.

"I know that, love. But, still… If you're, truly, not ready, then it is alright if you deny. I will not hold it against you in the least." I told him, my eyes wavering back and forth between his. He stared at me for a moment before nodding once, urging me to continue. I inhaled slowly through my mouth, continuing to caress his cheek with my thumb.

"Since Alexander died, I thought I would never love again, but.. you proved me wrong of that Drake. You took a hold of my broken, mourning heart, and you pieced it back together like you pieced his statue back together. You mended it. Healed it. And, all the same, you tied it to yours and stole it from my chest. You _own_ my heart, Drake…

"Everyone knows that you're mine. They see it with the tattoos on your hips. But I want more… I want the Gods to know that you're mine, even when the Afterlife claims us, whenever that will be." I said. Drake's eyes were glistening with tears and he was smiling softly.

"Boo… I love you. I love you more than life itself, and I want everyone— alive and deceased— to know that. Drake…" I inhaled slowly, leaning up and kissing him again before whispering the words against his lips, "Will you marry me?"

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Just a note; Hiei and I will be researching a little on Ancient Egyptian marriages and giving them a little bit of modern flare (since this is, after all, the thirtieth century and all XD Haha). Enjoy, *heart*


	3. I'll Do Everything That I Have To

**Chapter Two: I Promise, I'll Do Everything That I Have To  
Drake's POV**

When I woke up the next morning, I almost thought I had dreamed it, but looking at Adam's bright smile told me I hadn't. "Morning, Boo," he whispered, leaning over to press his lips to mine. I moaned, kissing him back softly, innocently. I may not have been innocent anymore but I definitely knew how to fake it. I could still pull it off quite nicely. Adam always appreciated that. He told me that sometimes it was just like our first time again.

Then there were times like last night where he calls me a kinky bitch and innocent is the last thing anyone would ever accuse me of. Yeah, I straddle both sides of the street… "Morning," I said, smiling over at him. Adam told me I could deny him but why would I ever want to deny marrying him? I'd never really thought about marriage before. Adam didn't seem too interested in it before, so it really didn't cross my mine. I was just happy to be Adam's. I was content and living a life I never thought I would achieve.

But then he asked me to marry him and I realized just how badly I wanted that… I wanted everyone, not just the people who saw me on a daily basis, to know that I had completely given myself to Adam and, in turn, he had given himself to me. Even if I was only twenty-one, I had stolen the Pharaoh of Egypt's heart. He told me so himself, last night while he was purposing.

_Engaged._

I truly couldn't believe it. I mean, he and Alexander had been together for seven years and Adam never asked for his hand in marriage. I wondered if Adam was going to get in contact with my mother to ask for her permission. I wanted to know if he was going to be classy and do it the old fashioned way or if he was just going to marry me because I said yes last night (come on, who would say no to him?). I asked him while we were falling asleep last night, what he was planning, but he told me not to worry about it. That he was going to take care of everything and it would be the wedding of my dreams.

To be honest, I really didn't know what the wedding of my dreams was. I always thought that by the time I was twenty, my mother would marry me off to a girl best suited for our family and we would be having children in a few months after our wedding. If I could perform with her, that is… But with Adam, I didn't have to worry about anything I was worrying about when I lived at home. He took good care of me. I didn't have to work, but I helped out around the palace anyway, just to make myself feel useful. Sometimes Adam asked me for legal advice and I would just laugh, tell him my honest opinion and go back to doing something that actually held my interest.

I used my art studio a lot. The walls of that room where completely covered in murals now and many of my own canvases hung around the palace, displaying my art. I got into sculpting a lot too, but those took a lot more time then painting, so there weren't as many of those. I visited Anna's memorial all the time and I spent the rest of my time with Adam or Tommy, or both of them.

One thing that was never an issue was children, but I often wondered what Adam was going to do about having children. He needed to have a son to inherit his crown once he was either too old to run the country, or Ra forbid, he passed away. Adam was, by no means old but if he didn't do something about a child within the next few years, he would be getting into his sixties before the child was old enough to take over.

Sometimes it was really hard to believe that Adam was thirteen years older than me, but he was. For some reason, it didn't bother me at all. In fact, it seemed almost right. I always assumed I would be older than my wife but to be so much younger seemed like the place I needed to be at, even if it did make Adam look like a cradle robber (totally and completely laughing at myself right now).

I wanted to ask Adam about children, but it was going to be an awkward and possibly upsetting conversation, so I kept putting it off. "What's on your agenda for today, Love?" he asked me, smiling and kissing me on the lips again. I sighed softly, kissing him back for a brief moment before I broke away to speak.

"Probably spent some time with Tommy while you are at your boring ass meeting," I said and he just laughed softly, shaking his head. "Why?"

"I'm meeting with the wedding planner before dinner and I want you to be there. It's our wedding and I want you to love it just as much as I do, so I need you there with me," he said. I blushed softly but as to why, I couldn't tell you. "We're meeting him in the gardens around four, can you make that?"

"Of course, Adam. I'll be there," I told him. He pecked my lips again before getting out of bed.

He walked over to his wardrobe to get some fresh clothing before he turned back to me. "I'm sorry I have to run out on you so soon, but you slept pretty late. It's almost noon," he told me. I just smirked at him, standing from the bed and, of course, being mindful of the dull ache in my backside. No matter how many times I've been intimate with Adam, it was something I never quite got used to. He always left me a little sore, but I would be lying if I told you I didn't love what he did to me.

"Sorry, this kinky little bitch needs his sleep, you know. If you expect me to be good in the bedroom every night," I said, smirking at him and he just grinned. I walked over to him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my body up against his. "Besides, I was having really good dreams that I didn't want to wake up from…" I added, pouting.

He cocked an eyebrow at me. "Oh really? What might those dreams be, exactly?" he asked, pressing his forehead to mine.

I blushed softly. "The endless hours of lovemaking on our wedding night," I told him, kissing his neck softly. He moaned and pulled away from me, probably to keep himself from getting turned on again. Apparently that boring ass meeting he had today was really important and he couldn't afford to be late. "But we can talk about that later. You go get cleaned up and then go to your meeting so you can save the world, or whatever it is you are doing," I said, laughing softly.

He chuckled, shaking his head as he walked to the bathroom to clean up. I quickly got dressed and went down to Tommy's room, knocking lightly on the door before just walking in. Tommy was still asleep with one arm tossed over his eyes. I chuckled, walking over to the blond before shaking him gently. "Tommy?"

"Huh, what?" he asked groggily, his arm lifting from his eyes and he squinted up at me. "Oh, hey Drake… Happy day after your birthday. Judging by that big grin on your face, I'm guessing you had a good night?" I blushed softly, nodding once in agreement.

"You could make my morning good, too, if you'll come take a bath with me. Pretty please?" I asked, pouting my lips. I quickly learned that when I pouted at Adam or Tommy, even Cassidy most of the time, I got whatever I wanted. They just couldn't say no to the perfect pout.

"Alright baby, whatever you want," he said, sitting up to give me a peck on the lips. I smiled, taking his hands into mine and pulling him from his bed. I may have been small, but I had gained a decent amount of muscle since I was first brought here. "You need one those. Ra, you smell like Adam's sex."

"I suppose I would, huh?" I asked, blushing softly. I took Tommy out the door and across the hall to the bathroom that we still often shared. I lived in Adam's room now and Tommy was usually with us, but Tommy and I came to take baths here just because we were comfortable with it. As perverted as it sounds, we had a lot of good memories in that bathtub.

Tommy turned the water on, letting the large tub fill with water as I stripped first myself and then him. He half jumped into the tub together, coming up soaked and in a fit of giggles. When they faded, Tommy pulled me into his arms so my chest was flat against his back. We often did this when he bathed together. It allowed for intimacy with easy access to washing. "So what did Adam give you for your birthday? He refused to tell me what it was, said it was super top secret," he said. He took a bar of soap into his hands, dipping it into the water before running it across my chest and stomach.

I leaned back into his touch with a happy sigh of content. A light blush flamed across my cheeks but I simply ignored it. "He…" I smiled happily, my head falling back against Tommy's left shoulder. "Tommy, I can't believe it, but he asked me to marry him!" I said, sounding a little excited. I was probably overly excited, but how could I not be? The love of my life finally asked me to marry him!

Tommy's hands froze for a moment and I frowned, wondering if the news had upset him. Tommy loved me and… I knew that. I knew that more than anyone else. I loved him too, dearly but my heart was Adam's and I couldn't change that. I looked up at him but he was just smiling. "That's fantastic, baby!" he said, sounding nothing but happy for me. Perhaps he truly was happy for me, but I doubted that was completely true. Surely he was jealous, even if only part of him was. "Are you excited?" he asked me, his hands finishing with my stomach and slipping down my thighs.

"I'm really excited! Until last night, I didn't even really think of marriage at all. I was always content to be with Adam and just be in love with him but when he asked me… I don't know, my heart just stopped for a few minutes and all I could do was stare at him," I said, shivering as his hands began climbing back up my inner thighs. "I think he thought I didn't want to accept at first but I was really just speechless."

Tommy's hands reached my groin and I moaned out, arching into his touch. I knew he wasn't really intent on cleaning me anymore. Our baths often lead to inappropriate touching. Adam knew about and, surprisingly he didn't mind it. Tommy joined us in bed all the time, why would this be any different? We didn't have like a secret fling or anything. "When will the wedding be, do you know?" he asked, stroking me into stiffness.

I moaned, biting my lower lip. "I'm not entirely sure…. Adam and I are meeting with a wedding planner later today. Before dinner, I think. Maybe I'll find out then," I said, grunting as Tommy's fingers brushed over my slit. I set the soap outside of the tub and then went back to pleasing me.

"Well you be sure to let me know. You'll need to be beautiful for your wedding day," he said, gripping my erection tightly in his hands. He started pumping it, being sure to sweep his fingertips over the slit ever few moments. I arched away from him, forcing my hips up into his hands.

"Are you saying that I'm not always beautiful, Tommy?" I asked, smirking behind the forced pout. He chuckled, kissing my pouting lips and tugging harshly on my erection. I cried out, slamming my hips into his hold.

"You're always beautiful, but on your wedding day, you'll need to outshine the sun," he muttered into my neck. "And pull off an appearance of innocence. I'm sure everyone knows Adam's love isn't a virgin, but you should at least act like one before the Gods," he whispered, his fingers digging hard into my erection.

"You and Adam turned me into this sexual deviant, I hope you know," I responded and the blond smirked at me, rubbing the fingertip of his index finger over the silt of my member constantly. His other hand dropped down to my entrance, teasing it with light pushes and tracing around it. I whined, pushing down on his finger enough to get it into me about an inch. Tommy chuckled, wiggling his finger inside of me as he continued to toy with my slit. I groaned, rubbing back against him. "Tommy…" I whimpered, needing my release. One thing I could not stand is when people toyed with the slit of my erection. It drove me wild…

"Adam turned you into a sexual deviant. I'm not the one who needed to have another pleasure servant. I'm not the one who dreamed of having a virgin," he said, arguing his innocence.

Nice try Thomas, but it's not working. "But you love to touch me just as much as Adam does…" I whimpered, that coil of pleasure tightening behind the base of my erection. I was close and if Tommy kept fingering my slit and my entrance like this, I was going to explode.

"It's hard not to love it, Drake. You're just… too beautiful," he whispered, biting down on my earlobe. I cried out, finally coming undone into the water. I could feel Tommy's seed splatter against my back and ass before the water carried it away from my skin. "Too beautiful. You even made me orgasm without being touched or teased," he muttered causing a wild blush to fan across my cheeks.

I looked back at him, smiling as innocently as I could manage, but after something like that, it was hard to convince anyone you were innocent. "You make it sound like I'm some sort of sex god, put on this earth to drive everyone's sexual desires over the edge," I said and he smirked, tapping my nose with his index finger.

"Perhaps that is exactly what you are. Sent to us in the form of a virgin, only for us to realize that, by the time you clawed your way into our hearts, it was too late. Perhaps we all belong to you because you are a god," he suggested, laughing softly before kissing the base of my neck. I moaned, blushing hard.

"Well, now that you have figured out my deepest, darkest secret, don't tell anybody," I said, winking at him. "I'd have to smite you if you did. Nobody is supposed to know." He laughed, massaging my shoulder blades. The scars Brad had left in my thighs had almost completely faded, but on my back it was still more noticeable, even after fading. Where the scars were, there were gaps in the tattoo Adam had given me several weeks after first being here. I kept meaning to ask him about getting them filled in so they didn't look so bad…

"I won't tell a soul, I promise, but the pharaoh will find out sooner or later, you know. Probably why you've got such an intense control over the man," he whispered and we both just laughed. Being with Tommy never got boring, that was for sure. Today I was a god for Pete's sake! And no, I don't know who Pete is, so don't ask.

He turned me to face him and I took the soap so I could clean him. "I really want you to be a part of the wedding, Tommy… I know it might upset you a little but you are my best friend and I love you. I couldn't imagine you not being by my side on such an important day…" I said, trailing the soap over his finely toned chest.

He smiled at me, running his fingers through my wet hair. "I will be there, baby, I promise you I will. I wouldn't miss it for the world," he promised and my heart skipped several beats.


	4. You're Unbelievable, Uh!

**Chapter Three: You're unbelievable, uh! So unbelievable, uh! **

**Tommy's POV**

Of all the things in the world and in this life, the last thing I'd expected to hear come from Drake's lips was that he was getting married.

It didn't even stick, for a moment, when he first said it. Well, to be honest, it didn't stick at all, but I told him that it was amazing and I was happy for him. Really, I was, even if my heart was trembling in my chest and my throat decided to seal up on me for a few moments. Drake was so excited for this wedding that he was about to have. With Adam. I had to be happy for him. I had to be strong for him and just let go. I couldn't let my jealousy of Adam and my desire for Drake to be my lover put a damper on his happiness that he and Adam were sharing the final, ultimate, _eternal_ bond as lovers.

But that didn't mean that it didn't hurt.

And, of course, I promised him I would be there. Sure, Drake wasn't getting married to me, but that wasn't going to stop me from being there with him at his side as he married the King of all Egypt. That wasn't going to stop me from dressing and dolling him up like I had when he'd first been brought here, three years ago. Ra… That felt like an eternity and a half ago, but all the same, it felt like there was no time that passed at all. Just like a blink of an eye or a good night's sleep.

The knowledge that Drake was getting married didn't stop me from touching him, either. Drake and I were always intimate together when we were bathing. It couldn't be helped. Hands had to wander to clean and then it was just a matter of letting go and being consumed by pleasure. I would never claim Drake, but that didn't stop me from loving him as if he were mine. Besides, Adam was okay with it. He knew that we weren't having some kind of a romance behind his back. He knew we just kissed and touched. We didn't make love. That was his only request of our relationship (unless he requested us to fuck in front of him as a way of pleasing him, but that rarely happened, actually).

With Drake and myself all squeaky clean, I pulled myself from the tub and dried off, tucking a towel around my waist. Drake pulled himself out and I reached up on a shelf, plucking a towel down and, unfolding it, I dropped it on Drake's head. He giggled and I brought my hands up, massing his head and drying off his hair. His hands came up and covered mine, his artistic fingers curling and lacing between my calloused ones. I slid the towel down, letting it rest around his shoulders. His hair was sticking up and out around his face in a disarray, but it was cute. I smiled at him, dipping my head down and pressing my lips to his gently.

Sweet and chaste. How many kisses would I have left with him while he was just Drake? How long did I have until he became the Pharaoh's husband? Would things change after they got married? Would Adam tell me I couldn't be intimate with him anymore? Or would things still be the same despite Drake's status changing from pleasure servant to the Pharaoh's husband— his eternal love?

I tried not to think about it as I rested my forehead against Drake's, caressing his cheek with my fingers. His hands came up, cupping my face and he stood on his tiptoes slightly to kiss me again. I moaned softly, my tongue teasing along his bottom lip, pushing between his teeth and tasting the inside of his mouth before I pulled away, pecking his lips once more. Drake smiled up at me before turning to dry off and wrap his towel around his waist, much like I had done.

"May I borrow some of your clothes, Tommy? I forgot to grab some from mine and Adam's room before I came here and I don't really wanna walk through the halls of the palace wearing nothing but a towel," Drake chuckled and I just smiled, nodding once. I couldn't explain why he always asked. He knew that if he needed to borrow something, I was always more than willing to give him what he needed.

"Of course, Drake. You know, you, really, don't have to ask. You know, what's mine is yours?" I said with a laugh and Drake smiled shyly at me. Even after three years, the boy was still bashful about things. But he'd gotten better about it. He wasn't quite so innocent anymore…

"Right… I just.. I was raised to ask permission and things like that, and, even though this is my home here and there are different rules and expectations, I still tend to live by what I was taught." He said, a light blush fanning across his cheeks. I put an arm around his waist, pulling him close to my body as we walked across the hall towards our— my bedroom. I bit down on the inside of my cheek, smiling at him as I walked with him into the room. After getting used to saying that it was shared, I had to go back to saying it was only mine…

"You know where they are." I mumbled motioning to the wardrobe as I crossed to my bed, plopping down and throwing an arm over my eyes. I chewed on my bottom lip, forcing back the stings of tears that were threatening to well up in the ducts of my eyes. I couldn't cry. I couldn't. Not until, at least, Drake left. Until then I had to be happy for him. I had to be cheerful Tommy, because that was what he needed.

"You're not gonna get dressed?" Drake asked. I heard the shift of cloth falling and sliding over skin. I grunted softly, shrugging half-assed before rolling over. Drake sighed softly, his footsteps padding across the stone. The bed shifted, and Drake's palm slid over my shoulder, squeezing gently.

"Tommy?" He murmured. I turned my head, glancing over my shoulder at him, "what's wrong?" He asked. I bit down on my bottom lip, shaking my head slightly and smiling at him. But it felt forced, and, I guess, he noticed that, for his eyes narrowed slightly and his lips pursed themselves into a thin line.

"Don't lie to me, Tommy." He hissed gently, reaching up and running his fingers through my hair. I sighed softly, looking away from him. He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me so that I was flat on my back, his hand massaging my scalp. I glanced over at him, seeing one of my dark blue shear shirts hanging off of his shoulders, a pair of blue shorts clinging to his hips. His tattoos decorated his arms and his hips, coloring his skin as beautifully as it had been when it was first done.

He sighed softly when I didn't answer, "It's about the wedding, isn't it?" He asked, his voice soft and gentle. I bit down on my bottom lip before sitting up. His hand slid from my hair and his arms wrapped around my waist. I leaned my head against his for a moment as he continued to speak, "Things won't change, Tommy, if that's what you're worried about. Adam isn't going to keep me locked up in his room or anything like that."

"I… I know, Drake. I do, but…" I trailed off, looking down at his arms, which were still linked around my waist. He squeezed me gently, pressing a kiss to the back of my neck.

"But you're still, just, worried?" He suggested and I nodded once.

"I mean… Don't get me wrong. I'm happy. I'm happy for you and Adam and I think you two are perfect for each other. But.. I don't know. Just… Of all the things that he could've given you for your birthday, he asked for your hand in marriage.." I turned my head to look over at him, staring into his bright blue eyes. "That's huge, Drake. It's amazing and I'm so happy for you, but… I don't know. I guess I, just, wasn't expecting him to bring something like that up." I shook my head. Drake leaned forward, pressing his lips to my cheek gently.

"I understand." He whispered against my skin, nuzzling the side of my neck. I smiled gently, leaning into him for a moment. "You should get dressed, honey." He suggested and I groaned softly. Drake's laughter filled the inner walls of my ears and I smiled brightly over at him. After three years, his laughter had never ceased to make me smile like I didn't have a care in the world.

"I don't wanna…" I grumbled, but Drake merely tugged me towards the edge of the bed, pulling me off and onto my feet. My towel was loose around my waist, barely hanging onto my skin.

"Too damn bad, Thomas." He commented, smirking at me before going to my wardrobe, pulling out a pair of green trousers and shear shirt, tossing them into my arms. I chuckled, setting them down on my bed before stripping of my towel. I dressed quickly, just pulling the shirt over my head when his arms snaked back around my hips and he pressed a kiss to my neck.

"See, was that so hard?" He questioned and I turned in his arms, running my fingers through his hair. His eyes were locked with mine, seeming to stare into my soul. I smirked, kissing him gently.

"Nope. But who says I did all that willingly? Maybe you used your powers and you're not telling me. Maybe you're controlling me…" I whispered, kissing him again. Drake moaned softly, his eyes slipping shut as his fingers tangled themselves into my hair. Much like him, I needed to get it cut. But I'd just been putting it off lately.

"Like I said, don't tell anyone. I'm not afraid to smite you down, baby." He joked and I blushed lightly.

"Define "smite", Drake," I teased, shoving my tongue into his mouth, kissing him hard. He moaned, pulling on my hair as I pushed him over to the wall of my room, pressing him flat against the surface. Drake whined softly, tugging on my hair and ripping a growl from my throat. Trembles ran down my spine as my tongue dominated over his, my hands wandering down his sides and up his back, nails digging into his skin.

Drake arched off the wall, moaning into my lips as I dragged my nails down his spine. He broke our kiss, howling softly as I nibbled and licked at the exposed highway of his neck, tasting the essence of him, savoring it. My tongue licked up along his throat, trailing back towards his left ear. My teeth hooked into the lobe, sucking gently on the skin. Drake giggled, moaning softly. I sucked harder, smirking around the skin as my hands traveled down to rest on his hips.

"Tommy…" He groaned softly as I went back to licking and kissing his neck. I knew better than to mark him unless Adam requested it, but there were some days where I just couldn't help myself.

"What do you know? An all powerful God bending to the will of a lowly little human man. Intriguing," I smirked and Drake's face went beet red for only a moment before he chuckled, leaning in close to my ear. His breath was hot and heavy against the shell of my cartilage, an occasional moan slipping its way out of his mouth. I felt my skin tighten, beginning to burn and my mouth dropped open slightly, a soft groan passing my lips.

"Maybe I'm just letting you think you have the satisfaction of bending me to your will. Maybe I've still got the upper hand," he breathed, lifting his knee and nudging my groin gently. I gasped, bucking into his touch slightly. I hadn't realized that kissing him like this had, well, gotten me hard again. Apparently it had…

"Yep, I've still got the upper hand," he smirked, kissing me once.


	5. Come Together, Right Now, Over Me

**Chapter Four: Come Together, Right Now, Over Me  
Adam's POV  
**  
Just as Drake had claimed, my meeting was extremely boring and it seemed to just drag on. Normally business and politics weren't the most enjoyable things but they were manageable. Today sitting through that meeting was like jogging through Hell with only one lung. It was probably because I was anxious to get away from the people discussing schools and new technology. We'd made some great advances over the last few years but we still needed to do more.

I'm not saying I didn't care about these issues. Of course I did, just not today. Not when, in just a few hours, I would be planning the wedding I always thought I would have had years ago with my beautiful bride-to-be. Well, Drake wasn't a bride because he wasn't a woman, but what other term would I use for him? I had to control my chuckling in the meeting. One slipped and Cassidy gave me a rueful look. He was a sweetheart most of the time, but sometimes, like when we were supposed to be serious, he was like stone.

Thankfully the people today were in an argument kind of mood. They were all arguing with each other and not paying one ounce of attention to me. That was excellent considering I had mostly been zoning out the entire time. Images of Drake on the day we would be married flooded my mind, not to mention all of the fine details that I was sure Drake's artist habits would make him extremely picky about. There was also the fact of his family. I had contacted them several days ago, asking them to come out for a visit.

Two of my guards had gone to retrieve them early this morning and would, hopefully, be returning with them right before dinner. Drake had no idea and his family really had no idea as to why I was bringing them out. The most important thing was to get permission from Drake's mother to take his hand in marriage. I would never imagine marrying him without her saying I was allowed. Sure, maybe it sounded stupid, but it was proper and it was just how things were done. There were a few more reasons to bring them out, witnessing the wedding being among them, but I wouldn't worry about the other details for right now. The most important thing now was to get through this wedding.

"Adam?" Cassidy said rather loudly, waving his hand in front of my face. I blinked, looking up at my adviser. "I hope whatever you're thinking about is important. It certainly has you distracted. Everyone left like five minutes ago and you didn't even realize it," he said, smirking a little. He obviously had a lot of satisfaction right now, considering he was the one playing attention to everything and the Pharaoh of Egypt was like the kid in the back of the class who always fell asleep in the middle of lecture.

"Oh, sorry Cass… I've just got a lot on my mind," I said, smiling apologetically. He chuckled, sitting down next to me as if to say '_well then talk to me about it._' I sighed, shaking my head softly. "I asked Drake to marry me last night," I told him, a soft smile still playing at my lips.

He didn't look very shocked. I hadn't told anyone what I was planning because if it leaked back to Drake before I asked him, I was going to slap a bitch. "Really now? And I'm assuming that he said yes, because if he said no, you wouldn't be daydreaming with that giant grin on your face," he said, smirking again. He was enjoying this way too much, but I was in too good of a mood to even care in the slightest.

"Of course he said yes," I told him, rolling my eyes for emphasis. In truth, I was terrified of Drake refusing me, but after seeing the happiness in his eyes last night, I found it hard to figure out why had been so scared in the first place. "We're meeting with a wedding planner in, like, half an hour to start making plan. I feel light headed but I'm really excited about this…" That same, soft smile spread across my lips again.

"Did you contact his mother? Or do you not really care if she says yes or no?" he asked, resting one elbow against the table, his cheek resting against his curled hand.

"His mother and his little siblings are all on their way over. I sent to guards to escort them and last I heard, they were due to arrive at seven. As long as they make it on time, they will be joining us for dinner and I will be discussing things with his mother," I told him, smiling faintly. "I think I'm to offer to have them stay here permanently. We have more than enough room and it would make Drake so happy…"

"What if his mother doesn't like you?" he teased, laughing softly. I didn't find it quite so funny because, now that I was thinking about it, I realized it was a huge possibility. Drake had told me several times that, whenever he talked to his mother, he told her nothing but pleasant things about me. He told her how much he loved being here and he had even built up the courage to tell her that we were in love. I'm pretty sure he left out the whole sex servant thing though. That was definitely not something I wanted to share with the woman…

But, despite what Drake had told her, I was the man who took her baby away from her. I was the man who had his guards forcibly take Drake from his home to come work for me simply because his family was poor. For all I knew, she hated me, and the idea of Drake's family not liking me was way more than upsetting, to say the least.

What if she really did say no? What if she saw our marriage as a mistake because of, I don't know, our age difference or something? Sure, I wasn't really old yet, but eventually our age difference was going to show a great deal. I would surely pass away while Drake was still in extremely good health and… what if she only saw that? Would it matter that Drake was so happy with me now?

"Oh Ra, what if she doesn't?" I asked, blinking a few times. Cassidy frowned and reached out, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Calm down, Adam, I was just teasing. Even if she didn't like you before, once she sees how happy you make her son, she will love you. That's all a parent ever wants, is for their children to grow up, be successful and find happiness. Drake has found his in you and in everything that he does here. You make him happy and she'll see that just by the way he smiles when he's around you," he said, smiling at me with that rare but beautiful smile of his. He leaned over, kissing my forehead gently. "Don't worry about that, I'm sorry I mentioned it," he said, chuckling against my skin. He was still having way too much fun with this.

"Thanks, Cass…" I muttered, rolling my eyes at him again. "Anyway, I should be going. I have to find Drake." I stood up, kissing Cassidy gently on the cheek. "I'll see you at dinner." He nodded, smiling at me as I left the room. I figured I would check Tommy's room to see if Drake was still there, but he wasn't and neither was Tommy. I checked the bathroom they always shared, but it was empty too, so I wondered exactly where they could have gone. Drake knew he needed to be in the gardens soon, so the only other place I could think of was his art studio.

I wasn't really shocked when I found him and Tommy in there. Drake was painting, no shocker there, and Tommy was watching him paint whatever it was he was painting. "Hey boo," I said, walking over to the easel he was standing at. He looked over at me, smiled and set his paintbrush down. It never failed though. Every time he painted, he got some smudged color on his cheek. Today it was green and, like every other day, it was adorable.

"Hey," he said, turning to me. How did he manage to get paint on his face but nowhere else? It amazed me, truly. I kissed his forehead gently and he blushed. Ra, he was so fucking adorable. Tommy stood from the stool he had been sitting on and he moved over towards the door muttering a soft '_I'll give you guys some space, see you at dinner._' I was sure Drake told him about the wedding and I wondered how he felt about it. I knew he had feelings for Drake and, honestly, I felt bad about that but…

I'm not even going to go there, actually.

Tommy left the room silently and Drake's eyes followed him until the door shut before he looked back up at me. "Is he upset?" I asked.

Drake only shrugged some. "I don't really know… He seemed happy and then he seemed upset and when I asked him about it, he only said he was shocked that out of everything you could have given me for my birthday, you gave me that. I really… I really don't even know, honestly." I sighed softly, kissing his forehead gently again while taking his hands into my own.

"Well let's worry about that later. Right now we need to go speak with the wedding planner so we aren't late for dinner," I told him, lacing our fingers together. He smiled and we walked over to the window of his art studio, pushing the glass door set to the side open. It lead straight out to the gardens. Right in front of us was Anna's memorial. I knew Drake went to visit it a lot, but today was not one of those days.

I lead Drake towards the center of the garden where a large, elegantly sculpted fountain stood. It had been here long before I was Pharaoh and it would remain long after I moved into the Afterlife. A man somewhere between my age and Drake's age sat on the edge of the massive fountain, a large portfolio in his hands. He had long, light brown hair. Not anything close to Drake's chocolate locks, but still very pretty. He had a boyish face and green eyes. His skin was rather tanned, more like mine and he had glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.

His eyes met mine and then Drake's and he smiled at us. "Hello, My Pharaoh and his soon to be… bride?" he asked, bowing his head in respect to both of us. I saw Drake's cheeks flame but if he was blushing at the respect the man showed him or the fact that he had just been called a bride, I wasn't entirely sure…

I laughed softly, sitting next to the man and pulling Drake down into my lap, my arms snaking around his waist to hold him against me. "Hello," I said to the man, resting my head against Drake's right shoulder. "I'm really thankful that you could make it out on such short notice. Drake and I are… eager to be married, to say the least."

The man smiled at us. "I'm assuming you'll want a traditional Pharaoh's wedding?" he asked, pulling a pen from behind his ear to start taking notes. We wouldn't be planning everything today, just the basics, but that was how we needed to start.

"Actually no. I have no married anyone else and I don't plan on marrying anyone besides Drake. A more common type wedding would be perfect for us. You know, just more extravagant," I said. The man looked shocked, but I couldn't really say I blamed him much. Pharaohs generally married several people over the course of their lifetime, holding three wives or maybe more. To learn that I only had intentions to marry one person throughout my lifetime was probably very shocking to a lot of people.

But not Drake. He smiled at me, snuggling back into my arms some. I couldn't imagine how Drake would feel if I ever tried to marry someone else. I knew I would be pissed at my husband if he decided to marry someone other than me while we were still married, so I definitely wasn't going to do that to Drake. Besides, I didn't love anyone but Drake, so why would I marry anyone else?

"Alright then, we'll just start with a few basic details and we'll continue in a few days, once I can come up with all the options for the space and size of the wedding you two want," the man said, scratching something onto the paper inside of his portfolio. Drake and I nodded in unison and he just smiled at us. "Do you both know where you actually want the wedding to be held?" he asked.

I glanced down at Drake, wondering if he had any ideas. He looked a little lost, honestly, like he didn't really have any idea where he would like to me wed. Perhaps he'd never thought of marriage until I asked him? But surely that couldn't be true… I mean, who didn't think of the perfect wedding with the person they loved? "Well…" I began, clearing my throat before continuing. "We both love the garden," I told him. Drake's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "We spend a lot of time out here." Drake and I came out here a lot to either gaze up at the stars and just cuddle, or to visit Anna. Drake usually went to see her alone, but sometimes he asked me to go with him and I was always more than happy to comply. He came out here by himself a lot too because it inspired his artist nature. A few of the statues in the garden were sculpted by him over the last few years, even.

"I think a wedding out here would be wonderful…" Drake whispered, his eyes glassing over as if he were imagining the wedding already. Perhaps now he would be able to sculpt in his mind exactly the kind of wedding he would want just from the starting place.

The planner smiled lightly. "If you're going to have one out here, the center would probably be the best place. It's got a big enough space to hold a decent amount of people. A really large wedding wouldn't fit here though. You wouldn't be able to invite hundreds of people," he said, writing a few more things down on his paper.

"We don't want a huge wedding. Not everyone needs to witness it to know that we are giving ourselves to each other," I said, kissing Drake's cheek gently. He blushed again but he nodded. We discussed a few other basics and then made another date to discuss the finer details. We would be meeting, same place, next week. Once the man had said his goodbyes, I held Drake tightly in a comfortable silence for a long while.

"We should probably get inside…" I mumbled after a while.

Drake pouted at me. "Dinner isn't for like… another hour. Why can't we just stay out here?" he asked, looking at me with his big, blue eyes. I smiled softly, kissing his nose.

"Baby, I've got one more thing to show you for your birthday," I said and he raised his eyebrows at me.

"What do you mean? What else could there possibly be to give me?" he asked.

"Get up and I'll show you," I said, smirking at him. He reluctantly stood up and I took his hand, leading him inside. I only hoped that his family had arrived on time. If they hadn't, I wouldn't really have anything for Drake. I supposed I could just find something in the palace to give him… but it wouldn't be the same.

To my relief, when I took Drake into the throne room, (which just happened to be the front room of the palace, at the top of the massive staircase where Bradley had been executed) two guards stood with an older woman and four children. Well, it wasn't fair to call all of them children because one of them was over eighteen now. Another two were pretty close.

The woman stepped forward, her long chocolate locks matching perfectly to Drake's. Her eyes were very much the same. She wasn't too old, probably in her early forties if she had Drake was she was newlywed. Overall, she was beautiful but I couldn't really expect anything less from the woman who gave birth to my baby. Her name was Roza, simple yet beautiful. It didn't sound Egyptian, but I couldn't place the origin.

Drake's eyes widened and for a moment, he didn't move. His mother smiled a perfect, almost identical to his smile at him and he couldn't fight the smile that spread across his face. Apparently when someone in Drake's family smiled, it was contagious. "Mama?" he asked softly and she smiled, nodding softly. He shook his head softly before running over to her and wrapping his arms tightly around her smaller frame. "Ra, Mama… I missed you," he said and, if I wasn't mistaken, he was beginning to cry.


	6. All Around Me, I Can Feel A Change

**Chapter Five: All Around Me, I Can Feel A Change**

**Drake's POV**

My heart stopped dead in my chest when I saw my mother. I couldn't believe that Adam had brought her— and my four siblings— to the palace for my birthday. I couldn't stop the tears that streamed my face as I wrapped my arms around her tightly, holding her close to me. I couldn't breathe as I buried my face into her hair, sobbing softly in her arms. I could feel her shaking with me and I knew that she was crying, too.

Her hands ran through my hair, her fingers pulling out gentle snarls. Tears streaked my cheek and my soft sobs turned into tears of happiness. I pulled back enough for her to wipe them away with the pads of her thumbs. I smiled softly, breathing hard as I leaned forward, pressing my forehead against hers for a moment. I felt a gentle tug on the hem of my shirt, seeing my youngest brother, Hayden, looking up at me with wide, deep brown eyes.

"Hey, buddy," I said gently, kneeling down and pulling him close to me in a tight bear hug. His arms curled around my neck and he buried his face into my shoulder, holding me tight. I smiled, another tear running down my face. I hadn't seen him in so long, and he'd gotten so big over the years. He wasn't just my little brother anymore. He was becoming a young man, now, much as I didn't want him to.

Hayden didn't say anything— he was a very shy child— but, I knew, by the way he clung tight to me that he missed me. I smiled softly, rubbing his back tenderly before I curled my arms around his legs, lifting him up so he sat against my hip, much like I used to do with him and Anna… Ra, I missed her, dearly. But she was in a better place, and I had to focus on my family now that they were safe and in good hands here at the palace.

With my littlest brother on my hip, I turned to my brother, Jonah. He stood a good six or seven inches shorter than I did, with brown hair tinted blond from the sun. His eyes were a bright blue, like my own. His body was lean and lanky, his posture awkward. Poor boy was in the process of a growth spurt. I smiled at him and Jonah wrapped his arms around me and Hayden, both, giving us a tight hug.

"Jonah… It's so good to see you." I told him in his ear. He smiled softly, before pulling away from me.

"It's good to see you, too, Drake." He said. His voice still had its boyish charm, but it showed signs of maturing. I smiled at him, looking over at my sister, Amalia. For being seventeen, she'd grown up well. Her body had filled in with curves and her hair was long, pulled back in a gentle, loose braid. Her smile was soft and beautiful, her eyes matching my own. I knelt, setting Hayden down beside Jonah before pulling my sister into a hug.

We didn't speak. But our embrace shared a mutual loss for each other, and for Anna. Amalia cared for our baby sister just as much as I did. I knew her death affected my brothers and my mother greatly, but for Amalia and myself, it felt terrible. Amalia and my mother had been Anna's role models and they did their best to be great examples. I inhaled slowly, willing myself not to cry as Amalia slid from my arms, tears in her eyes.

I turned my attention to my last brother, barely nineteen and a few inches taller than me. Lucky bastard. He'd toned out with years of work and labor. His hair was cut shorter than mine, curling around the tops of his ears and barely in his eyes. Other than that difference, you could've put the two of us side by side and you would've thought we were twins, almost. But I could see in his eyes, a dark, heavy blue, that he'd become serious. Hard-fisted. I nodded once to him.

"Eric," his eyes swept over my frame and I felt a shiver, like I was being judged. Sure, Eric had taken up the responsibility as the man of our home to provide and find a job, but he was looking at me like my father used to look at me…

"Drake," he said with a bow of his head. I looked away from him for a moment, glancing at all of my siblings again. Hayden was the only one who stood out with his eye color. He'd inherited it from our father. Mama always had beautiful blue eyes, and the rest of us had acquired that from her. But not Hayden. He got Mama's beautiful looks, but father's cold, brown eyes. Fortunately, though, Hayden was young, playful and adventurous. And, as much as I hated to think it, the brown would've been more suiting for Eric.

"Ad—" Mama began to say before giving Adam an apologetic look and bowed her head, correcting herself, "_Pharaoh_, you said you wanted us here… Said it was a surprise?" Mama, out of respect, kept her head bowed. I glanced over at Adam and he smiled, walking over to her and gently placing a finger under her chin, lifting her head. Her eyes met his and she seemed like she was frozen in mid-breath. Not that I blamed her, to be honest. I'd been the same way when Adam first came up to me.

"Roza, please, call me Adam," he said, his smile stretching into a grin. Mama blushed gently beneath her chocolaty complexion and she smiled back. Adam glanced at my siblings before looking back to her, "Would you mind if I had the littlest ones run around and explore? There's something I need to discuss with you and your eldest children," he said. Mama nodded once, before telling Jonah to watch over Hayden and be back here, in the throne room, before it got too dark.

I watched as my youngest brothers took off racing down one of the halls, their giggles ringing through the walls. I glanced over at Adam and he just smiled, faintly, staring after them for a moment. There was a look in his eye of longing and sadness, even, and I wondered, for a moment, just how long it had been since he'd been with his family..? I mentally shook my head of that, though. It was not my place to ask that of him. Or was it? I couldn't be sure.

"Come with me, please," he said after a moment, curling his arm around my waist. Mama, Amalia and Eric walked beside us as Adam led the group down a hall passed the throne room. My brother and sister were quiet the entire time, their eyes scanning the walls and details of the palace. Mama was quiet too, her palm resting between my shoulder blades. The only sounds were that of our footsteps, and, if a servant saw us passing by, they bowed their head in respect before continuing with their chores.

I wasn't sure where we were going, but, to be honest, I didn't care. All that I was really conscious of was the beating of my heart from a multitude of things. One, I was getting married soon and two my family was here! Sure, being here at the palace meant I didn't get to see them often, but I still did. I'd gone to visit Mama, mostly, to tell her that I was alright and that I was happy here.

Adam led us around a corner before pushing open a door to what looked to be a conference room. A small table with chairs on all four sides sat in the middle, the walls decorated with hieroglyphics of great debates and discussions. The wall opposite the door held a massive bay window, overlooking the gardens below. Adam and I walked, sitting in the chairs facing away from the window. Mama sat on the side to our left, Eric and Amalia sat to the right.

"Now, the reason I summoned you here… Was… Well, it's.." Adam stuttered, taking my hand in his beneath the table. I smiled, looking over at him and gave his palm a squeeze. But he seemed to be at a loss for words for a moment.

"Spit it out, son," Mama said, immediately blushing and looking away out of respect. I chuckled as Adam's face flamed gently. Even in the Pharaoh of Egypt's presence, Mama was more of a mother than a respecting citizen to him.

Adam smiled softly at her, licking his lips, "I… Had you come here because I wanted your permission for Drake's hand in marriage," he said, calmly, after taking a breath. Mama's head lifted and she looked over at him. Amalia and Eric's heads snapped up, too, their blue eyes wide in disbelief.

"Oh, Ra…" Mama whispered softly, slumping in her chair. Adam swallowed once, squeezing my hand tightly. He was nervous, I knew. I could feel his pulse beating against mine through our palms. Adam glanced at me, smiling softly before looking back to her, trying to be calm.

"Drake and I.. want a more common marriage. Not the traditional for Pharaohs. I have no intention of marrying anyone else in my life. But I knew that it would be wrong of me to marry him without your consent, considering I've already taken him from your home…" He trailed off, regret in his voice. I frowned, leaning into him a little for a brief moment. He might've regretted taking me away, but I knew he did not regret the memories and the love we shared.

Mama's eyes widened and she looked over at me as I blushed softly. I bit down on my bottom lip and I smiled shyly at her, Amalia and Eric. My sister's eyes were bright, excited, even. But Eric's were emotionless, like he was reserving his thoughts for only himself. I swallowed the nervousness from my throat, looking away from him after a moment.

"I understand, also… That, since I wish only to marry Drake, the matter of children on my behalf is, now, impossible. But.. I would like to offer your sons, Eric—" he nodded to my brother, "Jonah and Hayden, schooling from only the best tutors to, potentially, succeed my throne when I'm ill-fit or gone," I shivered, involuntarily, at the idea of Adam dying. True, he had a good amount of years ahead of me, but the thought of him passing on was something I didn't like thinking about.

Out of the corner of my eye, Eric's eyes widened and that cold wall broke slightly, showing his shock and, yet, excitement. Amalia's eyes, as well as Mama's, widened, and their mouths dropped in soft gasps. It took a moment for the news to settle into my head and I realized that Adam had offered my _brothers_ to become his successors, if they desired it, enough. I looked up at him, and he turned his head, smiling at me.

"And, Roza?" He said softly, and Mama looked over at him, "I understand that you will not wish to part with your children. Which… Is why I would like you to live with myself and Drake, here, in the palace." He concluded and my mouth fell open in shock. Adam.. Wanted my family to live here? My heart was thrashing in my chest and I looked away from him, staring down at the wood of the table.

To have my family live here meant a great many of things. I could watch them grow up, get married, have kids, make something of themselves. I could spend time with them like I used to. Sure, other servants had become something of family. Adam was my future husband and lover, Tommy was my best friend and Cassidy had a bit of a father figure in him over me, but to have my _true_ family, here? It was almost too much to think about all at once.

"My Pharaoh…" Mama whispered, disbelief and yet a strange amount of happiness in her eyes, which were brimming with tears. "That's… I don't know what to say…" she said softly, shaking her head and staring blankly at the table, a gentle smile on her lips. Adam reached over, palming a hand over hers. She blinked, looking over at him.

"I hope you'll say yes," he began, his cheeks glowing lightly, "Your son has made me incredibly happy. Happier than I've ever been," he said, and I looked away, embarrassed, "and I would love nothing more than to have a family, again." I glanced up at him, seeing the shine of tears in his eyes. Mama stared at him hard for a moment before turning her attention to me.

"Drake? Is this what you want? To marry Adam and have us come here?" She asked. I stared, open mouthed at her for a moment before smiling.

"Yes, Mama, yes." I told her, grinning ear to ear. I could see Amalia just beaming at me, and even Eric had the touch of a smile on his lips. He might've gotten cold and hard over the years of labor and caring for our siblings and our mama, but he was still Eric. Still the sixteen year old sporty-punk that I left.

Mama looked over at Adam before taking his hand in both of her, "Then, yes. You have my permission to marry my son," she said. I felt my heart skip a beat and Adam squeezed my hand even more so than he had before. I'd never seen him look so happy, and I'd never felt his heart race quite like this…


	7. And I Need You Right Now

**Chapter Six: And I Need You Right Now, I Just Need You Right Now  
Tommy's POV**

I had to admit, when Adam came to Drake's studio, I was a little miffed. I wanted to spent more time with Drake but I knew he was excited to get on with planning his wedding. How could I blame him? A wedding? That was something to get excited about! And I tried to be as supportive as I possibly could. I didn't want to show him how jealous I truly was that Adam, Our Pharaoh, was marrying the most perfect boy- man- in the world. In truth, the Pharaoh was probably the only person deserving of having such a wonderful person all to himself, but if he ever did anything to hurt Drake…

Ra, I would murder him.

Reluctantly, I left Adam and Drake to their business. I wanted to stay or linger around but seeing how Drake lit up the minute Adam walked into the room made me see just how happy he was. I was jealous, but I wouldn't let that get in the way of what was important: Drake's happiness. As long as I was an important part of his life and I knew for a fact that he really did love me, I would be fine. I had to believe that for everybody's sake.

With every step back to my room, I felt like I was dragging two-hundred pounds of lead behind me. The weight constantly increased to the point I truly believed I would _never_ make it back to my room. It didn't even feel like I was moving forward, but eventually my door came into view.

Falling into the soft mattress that was my bed was like a blessing from the Gods. I had never been more thankful for somewhere comfortable to sleep. I couldn't explain why I felt so, well, to put it simply, shitty all of a sudden. I was drained and I just… I couldn't explain what was going on, but I really didn't care. It was probably just the reality of everything finally sinking in. Like it was sapping all of my energy out.

I just needed sleep. That's all I needed. A nice cat nap before dinner and I would be golden. Well, I could fake being golden anyway.

Sleep didn't take long to claim me into her sweet, dark embrace. Another blessing from the Gods. My body just couldn't handle staying awake but I was almost afraid that my mind would keep me awake. I was absolutely terrified that my mind would be racing too fast to handle falling asleep. Thank Ra I was wrong.

_I was ashamed to say that most of my dreams were the same anymore. Well, that wasn't entirely true because sometimes I dreamt about my little sister. I went to see her in the market place a lot but I still didn't get to see her nearly as much as I would have liked. Today was not one of the times I dreamed about her. I would never admit to where most of my dreams lingered but I almost always woke up with morning stiffness._

I was sitting in bedroom alone, starring at the mural Drake had painted on my wall. I wasn't really sure what time it was or even when I was. More importantly, I wasn't too interested in finding out those details. I was perfectly content sitting here, starring at the beautiful paintings that littered my wall. I wished I could create like he did. I wished for a lot of things I didn't have…

Eventually the mural's calling to me was too loud and I stood up, walking over to the wall. I trailed my hand along the stretched and curved musical staff. I probably stared at this painting far too much but it was the one thing that Drake had given me that he never gave to Adam. Sure, Drake had painted things for Adam but nothing as large and extravagant as this. This painting was the world to me.

"Bonding with the wall again?" a voice, Drake, called from the direction of my doorway. I turned to face him and found him leaning in my doorway, a lazy grin spread across his face. "Why do you always stare at it, Tommy? I mean, I'm flattered that you like it, but it's not alive. It's not going to magically jump off of the wall and make love to you." He smirked, pushing himself off the frame. Today he was dressed… basically like a skank. Probably something he only dug out for Adam in the privacy of their bedroom.

Tight, golden shorts that were shorter than even the most revealing things Adam had us wear in public. They didn't hide much. To give you a fantastic visual, his ass was hanging out of the back of them. Drake didn't have a big ass, so you could only imagine how tight and short these shorts were. He wore a shear shirt on top. There were no sleeves, so his tattoos stood out against his skin just as beautifully as dark oils stood out on a white canvas. The shirt might as well have been clear. It didn't hide any detail of his beautiful body and just looking at him like this made me hard enough to bend him over and fuck him right here.

There were only two things that didn't grace his frame. There was absolute no jewelry, leaving him looking gorgeous but not intimidating. He didn't show any signs of becoming royalty other than the fact that he was beautiful enough to rule a kingdom simply on his looks. There were also no tattoos on his hips, no mark of lover. No claim of Adam's love.

"Wow, you don't have to be so upset. I dolled myself up for you and you want to just stare at a painting for the rest of the day?" he asked, reaching up into his hair to pull it out off the lopsided ponytail. The chocolate locks rained down around his face, long in the front, touching his shoulders, but stopping at the hair line on the back of his neck, making a sharp, intense slope forward. It looked a lot better than when he kept all of it the same length and he was still able to do his cute pony tail when he wanted.

He tossed his hair tie to the side and then reached forward, taking my hands in his. He guided them to his backside, forcing me to grope him with both of my hands. "Don't play so hard to get. You know I'm going to win. I always do," he said, smirking at me.

"Won't Adam be upset?" I asked. It was the same question as my last dream and the dream before that.

"Adam? Who cares what upsets Adam and what doesn't? I'm not his, he's mine," Drake said. It sounded so demeaning and cruel, but he made it sound innocent. "And so are you," he added, smiling at me. How could I argue with him? I would jump to my death if it was for him. I would do whatever he wanted me to do. He had a powerful hold over me. He had a powerful hold over almost everybody. "Now stop being such a pansy and fuck me senseless." He sounded innocent and seductive at the same time. How did he even manage to make sex sound innocent? That made absolutely no sense.

But Drake was a mystery.

"Whatever you want…" I whispered and he smirked, pulling his shirt over his head, revealing slightly colored but still pale skin. I itched to mark it. I itched to claim him like Adam always did. Who was Adam to keep such a beautiful boy all to himself? To keep this God to himself? Not even the Pharaoh was that deserving of something…

He breathed kisses against my jaw and collarbone, pulling soft, strangled cries from my lips. "Don't worry so much, Tommy. You're fine, just take me," he said, twisting away from me. He walked over to my bed, his hips swaying in perfect unison with my heartbeat. Unlike me, Drake was a little more feminine. He had curvy hips and beautiful legs, although he was nowhere near as curvy as a woman. When you were gay, even the slightest curves made a world of difference.

"Fuck me…" I breathed and Drake just chuckled as he climbed up onto the bed.

"No baby, fuck me," he said, smirking over his shoulder at me. He deliberately kept himself on all fours, teasing me with his ass sticking up in the air. If he kept taunting me like this, I was going to make him regret it. I would fuck him so hard he wouldn't even be able to move the next day, god or not.

In the time it took me to get across the room, I was completely stripped. "I'll make you swallow those words," I told him, grabbing his hips in my hands. He laughed as my fingers wiggled into the hem of the shorts he was still wearing. I pulled them down in one swift movement, dropping them to his knees, but he wasn't completely naked. A black, lacey thong clung to his lower hips and I just smirked at him, slapping his left cheek hard. He cried out, arching into my touch some. Drake liked it rough, contrary to a lot of people's beliefs about how delicate he was.

"You filthy slut," I hissed, pushing his cheeks apart. He glanced over his shoulder to look at me, a light flame spreading over his cheeks.

"What can you expect from the God of Sex?" he mused, smiling innocently, his hair hanging out and around his face like a beautiful, dark wood frame. "I made your dreams come true all the time, but I can't do that for just you, you know."

That was all the push I needed to slam myself into him. He cried out, gripping the sheets beneath him tightly, but I knew he liked it like this. Prep was no something he was very fond of. He liked it raw and he liked dirty. Within seconds he was moaning and screaming like he was doing this for money. He was calling my name and I never heard something so beautiful before…

I shook awake when someone knocked on my door. I sat bolt right up, feeling an awful stiffness from in between my legs. It hurt, so I just dug my nails into my thigh. The pain from something else got my mind off of the pain of my hard-on and it effectively died in a few minutes. "Who is it?" I called, pushing myself off of the bed. I was sweating and my heart was racing. Underneath that, I still wasn't feeling much better than I had before I had fallen asleep.

"It's Drake." Of course it was. Nobody else came to see me. I walked over to the door, pulling it open and grumbling about how he knew he didn't need to knock. Though, this time, I was very pleased that he did. That dream had just been too much… To my surprise, Drake wasn't alone. A younger boy clung to him, holding tightly onto his shorts. I was relieved to see Drake was still dressed in the blue shorts and shirt he had borrowed from me earlier and not in some skanky thing that would make me need him…

"Who's this?" I asked, yawning. A big grin spread across his face and he picked the child up in his arms. It was then that I saw how similar they looked. The younger boy had Drake's face, minus the bright blue eyes.

"This is my little brother, Hayden. He's the… youngest…" he said, his smile wavering for a moment as he thought about Anna. The boy seemed to huff in his arms, which was honestly really fucking adorable. "Adam brought my family out here for… well to ask my mom about marrying me but… for a lot of other shit he didn't even tell me about." He seemed a little miffed about whatever Adam hadn't told him. He probably just didn't like being out of the loop. Welcome to my life, Drake.

"Aww, he's adorable," I said, smiling at the little boy. "So where are the others? Aren't there like… four? Plus your mom?" I added, glancing around. Besides a servant or two passing by, Drake and Hayden were the only ones in the hall.

"They're at dinner. When you didn't show, I figured I'd come make sure you were okay… Hayden just wanted to stay with me so he came," he told me. "Please come eat? I want you to meet them! They'll love you…" I smiled at him, nodding softly. How could I deny him? Nobody could deny Drake. Not me, not Adam, not any of the servants who worked here and not even Cassidy could say no when he got that disappointed look his ocean eyes…

"Sure thing, sorry, I just took a nap and overslept," I told him, joining him in the hall to walk to dinner.


	8. And Finally The Moment's Right

**Chapter Seven: And Finally The Moment's Right**

**Adam's POV**

I lifted my head up from my plate to see Drake and Tommy walking through the wooden double doors of the small dining hall, Hayden clinging tight to Drake with his thin arms wrapped around Drake's neck. I smiled, staring at Drake as he sat Hayden down in his chair. I forced myself to look away, a soft blush washing over my face as Drake took his seat to my right, Tommy across from him to my left.

I glanced over at the blond, frowning slightly. His hair was slightly disheveled around his face, dark circles under his eyes. He looked pale as he lifted his fork, picking at the food on the plate that had been brought to him before taking a small bite. I turned my attention to Drake, and he merely shook his head. He didn't know what was wrong with Tommy, either.

The dining hall was filled with the sounds of forks and knives clinking against plates, people chewing and drinking wine. To Drake's right was his older sister, Amalia. Next to her was Jonah and then Hayden. On Tommy's left was Eric and Roza, silently eating their own meals. I bit down on my bottom lip, taking another bite before looking over to Drake.

"So, Drake… You're an artist—" four heads snapped over at Drake with curiosity; not Hayden. He was playing with his food. "Do your siblings have any talents?" I made it more of a general question as I looked up, meeting the eyes of his siblings and his mother before taking another small bite of my food. Drake swallowed the bite that was in his mouth, glancing over at his sister.

"Amalia's a seamstress," Drake commented, and I watched the young girl's cheeks flame delicately and she smiled shyly. "Jonah's always had an interest in architecture," Jonah grinned, mouth full of meat before Roza scolded him about having too much food in his mouth. I chuckled and Drake just smiled before continuing across the table for his brother, Eric.

"Eric's very political," I raised an eyebrow, glancing at the young man. He kept his head bowed, staring down at his food. But, like Drake, there was a tint of red on his face, a small smile plucking at his lips, "I think you'll find him apt for some business-y conversations," I chuckled.

"Maybe," I said, and Eric glanced at me before looking away. I turned, glancing down the table at Hayden, who was still playing with his food. I wondered if there was anything he was interested in, other than mashing his vegetables, but I was too caught up in watching his brown, childish eyes creating the story of the chaos of his food. I smiled slightly, watching the boy for a moment before Drake rested a hand over mine.

"Adam?" He said, and I blinked, looking away from Hayden.

"Yes?" Drake glanced down to his younger brother and smiled warmly.

"You were staring at Hayden," at the mention of his name, the youth glanced up shyly, wondering, no doubt, if he'd done something wrong. I chuckled, shaking my head a little, setting my fork down on my plate.

"My apologies. He just reminds me of my younger brother, Neil." Out of the corner of my eye, Drake frowned slightly at me, as if curious about my brother. I turned my head towards him, but kept my eyes down, staring at our hands. "He passed from fever when I was twelve," I told him, my voice soft. There were sympathetic gasps from Drake's family members and I shook my head, smiling at them.

"It's alright. He's in a better place." I told them. Amalia looked like she was ready to cry, the poor thing. I smiled at her, shaking my head again. I was fine. Sure, I missed my brother like nothing else, but he, truly, was in a better place, and I had to the thank the Gods for that. Everyone I'd known and loved dearly were in a better place. Neil. My parents. Alexander.

"My Pharaoh?" Jonah's soft, boyish voice squeaked gently, and I smiled, looking over at him.

"Yes, Jonah?" He licked his lips, his eyes locked on Tommy. I glanced at Tommy, seeing that he was slowly taking small bites of food, but showed no real interest in eating.

"Pardon me, but who is that?" He asked quietly. I smiled softly, placing a hand on Tommy's wrist. I mentally frowned; Tommy's skin was hot to the touch. But I pushed the thought aside as Tommy lifted his head to look at me and then Jonah.

"This is Tommy," I said softly, smiling shyly, "He and Drake were, originally, my, uh.. _pleasure_ servants," Hayden frowned, not understanding in the slightest, but the other three siblings and Drake's mother's eyes widened. Amalia's face went scarlet, and Roza and Eric looked more shocked than anything. Jonah looked like he wished he didn't ask.

Drake's eyes were staring hard at his plate, his fork scraping back and forth with bits of food getting caught here and there. Roza turned her attention to her son, staring at him, almost willing him to lift his head with just the weight of her gaze. "Drake?" She said softly, and Drake lifted his head, looking embarrassed and, almost, ashamed as he stared back at her.

"We thought you were carted to work on pyramids," Eric said, his voice sharp and, if I wasn't mistaken, disappointed. I turned my attention to him and his mother.

"Initially, yes. Those taken from their homes are sent to work. However, I take into account those I believe unfit for such labor. Some are sent to work as cooks, others laundry boys or trained to become guards. Drake… Was chosen for a more glamorous lifestyle." I told them. Roza's eyes narrowed as she stared at her son before turning to me. I felt my heart skip and pound in my chest, twice as hard as before. What if this bit of truth suddenly changed my image in her eyes? What if she no longer favored the idea of my marriage to Drake?

"I trust you were careful with him, yes?" She said, her choice of words careful, motherly. I inhaled slowly.

"Yes, of course. I never forced Drake into anything he wasn't ready for. I always gave him the opportunity to say no." I told her, and it was the honest truth. I always gave Drake the choice to deny me if he wasn't ready. But he never did. That was something, perhaps, he'd have to take up with his mother in another conversation at another time.

Roza's eyes softened and she nodded once, returning to her meal. I grabbed my wine, taking a long, savoring drink before setting it back down. Another silence fell over the table, filled with only the sounds of forks and chewing and drinking, but I caught Amalia looking up and over at Tommy once, blushing slightly before looking away from him. I smirked softly, chuckling to myself. How cute.

When dinner finished, I called forth a serving boy to ready rooms for Drake's family. He nodded once, taking Drake's family and guiding them down the hall towards a few open and ready rooms. Drake said goodnight to his mother, sisters and brothers before turning to me. He smiled softly, leaning into me as I pulled him into my arms. I'd almost forgotten Tommy was still in the room until I heard his chair scuff against the stone.

I turned, seeing him standing from the table. His plate still held food, and I frowned. Tommy was, normally, one to eat all three courses. But tonight he barely finished one. He walked, sluggishly, almost, towards us, his intentions showing that he was going to leave us, but I stepped away from Drake and curled a hand over his shoulder. He stopped, looking up at me with tired eyes.

"Tommy? What's wrong?" I asked him, my hand sliding to palm his cheek as I pressed the back of my other to his forehead. His skin was too warm to the touch, sweat forming in his hairline.

"I just don't feel that well, Adam. I'm fine. I just need some sleep, is all." He muttered weakly. I frowned again as Drake came up beside us, staring worriedly at the blond.

"Tommy, your cheeks are red and your skin is warm. Are you getting sick?" I asked. Drake glanced up at me before trailing his fingertips against Tommy's cheek. I watched the blond seem to melt into the touch, his eyes fluttering closed not from exhaustion but from being content under my boy's fingertips. I swallowed the lump in my throat, feeling a twinge of pain in my heart.

"He's right, Tommy… You should go lie down." Drake commented, wrapping his arm around Tommy's waist. The blond leaned against him slightly, his eyes slipping shut again. Drake turned his head to speak to me, "I'm going to take him to his room. I'll be with you shortly, okay?" I smiled, nodding once before pressing a kiss to his lips.

"Go. Make sure he's comfortable and sleeping," I instructed. Drake nodded once, before helping Tommy out of the dining hall. I sighed softly, leaning against the door, thinking about the way Tommy seemed so at peace when Drake touched him..

I knew Tommy loved him. I knew how much Tommy loved being with Drake, and part of me felt awful that I was marrying Drake because it meant I was crushing Tommy's heart. I'd always made it my goal to keep my boys happy, and I knew that I was going against that by marrying Drake. But I loved Drake, too.

I'd always wanted to marry Alexander, but my father had been against it. Said it was wrong to marry a lowly servant and that I needed to follow in his footsteps. All of the other wives that he'd had didn't hold candles to my mother, and I barely acknowledged them in my youth. But, my mother, the one who birthed and loved myself and Neil, had been supportive of my wishes to marry Alexander.

I sighed softly, running fingers through my hair. I still missed my mother and Alexander. I missed Neil. I missed having a family to love and cherish. Marrying Drake was something I not only wanted with my whole being and soul, but it meant I would be having a family again. Brothers and sisters to love and a mother to turn to for advice (despite the fact she was only, maybe, ten years older than me). I wanted it more than I could say…

But at the cost of Tommy's happiness?

I sighed, pushing off from the door, slipping through into the hallway of the palace. It was empty, dark, chilled winds sweeping through and making me shiver. I regretted my choice of cut-off trousers and shear shirt, but the walk to my chamber wasn't far and I knew that I'd be in the comfort of warmth soon. I, truly, had nothing to complain about, anyway. There were still thousands of people freezing each night…

On top of wedding plans and arrangements, there were political issues. Advances had been made, but finding the funding for schools and jobs as well as paying off loans used to buy the technology to better build Egypt was weighing on me. There were also the matters that I had no biological heir to my throne. But that had been, hopefully, covered by Drake's brothers. If they desired it, they could be my heirs. I would have preferred it, actually. I had no interest in impregnating a woman just to have sons of my own.

Walking slowly, I passed a window that overlooked the gardens. I stopped, staring out at the flowers, statues and the fountain near the center. I smiled, enjoying the beauty of the moonlight washing over the stones and greenery. I had half a mind to ask Drake to paint it for me to hang up in my room… I smiled slightly, walking down the hall to my chamber doors.

Drake was a few feet away, walking up to them just as I was. I smiled at him, bending my head down and pressing my lips to his gently. He moaned, one hand curling over my shoulder, the other palming my face delicately. My hands rested themselves against his hips as I deepened the kiss, slipping my tongue into his mouth for only a few moments before pulling away, leaning my forehead against his.

"Is he sleeping?" I asked.

"Yes. I think he passed out the moment he hit the bed," Drake chuckled. I smiled, reaching over and opening the door to my chamber, before pulling him inside.


	9. I'll Let You Make Me

**Chapter Eight: I'll Let You Make Me A-Whooooo Tonight!  
Drake's POV  
**  
Adam and I snuggled for a while. We were in a comfortable silence, my head resting against his chest, listening to the rhythm of his heart beat. I smiled, kissing his bare chest gently. His fingers tangled into my hair, massaging my scale gently with the tips of his fingers. I purred, burying my face into his chest.

"Baby…" he whispered, leaning up to kiss me gently. I smiled softly, pulling my head off of his chest so I could press a gentle kiss to his lips. "I want you, Drake…" he whispered and I just couldn't help the laugh that slipped from my lips.

"Adam, when don't you want me?" I asked, smirking at him. He laughed and I climbed up over him, straddling his hips. "You would fuck me any time, any where, wouldn't you?" I added, pressing gentle kisses into Adam's neck. He moaned quietly, threading his fingers into my hair. He tugged, smirking as I moaned.

"Don't pretend like you wouldn't," he said, pulling me down into a rough, dirty kiss. Being with Adam generally left me feeling like a skank but I was his skank. Sometimes Adam was gentle and loving when we made love but usually it was rough, passionate and leaving me sore in the lower regions of my being the next morning. I wasn't entirely sure which version we'd go with tonight, but either way, I knew it was coming. We generally made love four or five nights out of the week…

I pressed my hands into his chest, rubbing my palms over his nipples. "I would strip for you on the front steps of the palace if you asked me to…" I admitted, blushing softly. Adam smirked up at me, trailing his hands down my sides. We generally slept naked or mostly naked, so clothing was never a thing we had to worry about. Tonight we were both naked. For a while, I just thought we were going to cuddle until we fell asleep, but apparently Adam had other plans.

"Oh really? Well… perhaps I'll need to take you up on that. I'd love to fuck you out there," he teased, rolling over to push me down on my back so he could hover above me. He dipped his head, kissed his way from my jaw to my growing erection. My jaw dropped when his tongue lashed out, licking me from base to tip over and over again until I was completely hard. "But this bed will do for tonight." He chuckled, kissing the tip of my erection. He tongued the slit a few times before he pulled back, pushing my knees up in the air and my thighs apart.

I inhaled through my nose, gnawing on my bottom lip. "Adam…" I whined, lifting my hips off of the mattress. He laughed, burying his face between my legs. He breathed into me several times, pulling a few loud squeals from my lips. I blushed wildly, whining. Adam laughed again and I really wished he would stop laughing at me. I didn't really see how our sex life was funny at all.

"Relax baby," Adam whispered, his lips trailing against my entrance. I whined again, wishing Adam would stop teasing me like this. It was almost too much to handle. He stuck his tongue out, pushing it into me as deeply as it could go. I swear to Ra, I almost came right then and there. Adam wiggled his tongue, brushing the borders of that spot. He didn't even need to search for it anymore. He knew exactly where it was… and he was an expert in hitting it every single time we got intimate. He always got to it within minutes.

"Adam…" I whined, pushing back against his tongue. Adam pulled back, licking from my entrance to my balls. My fingers were twisting into the sheets of our bed, needing something to hold onto. He slowly pushing one of his fingers into me and I groaned, tightening around him as he licked me. "Baby please…"

He smirked into my skin. "You taste delicious tonight, Drake," he whispered into my skin, groaning. I tossed my head back into the sea of pillows littered on the bed. He was driving me crazy with this foreplay, teasing me enough to keep me throbbing but not enough to let me release. I bit my lip, twisting away from him. I could make him suffer too!

"Baby?" Adam asked, reaching for me but I just moved back, pulling my knees up to my chest, holding them tightly. I could still feel my erection pressing into my stomach. Adam frowned at me, kneeling in front of me. "What's the matter, baby?" he asked softly, putting his hands on the tops of my knees. I knew he wanted to continue. I could tell by the twitching of his erection every few moments.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, frowning at him. "Why did you offer all the stuff to my family without talking to me first?"

Adam blinked, shocked that I stopped our love making to simply yell at him. "Are you angry with me?" he asked, reaching up to put a gentle hand on my face. "I mean… Does any of it upset you?" He seemed confused, not that I could blame him.

"No… I'm not upset that you offered them all that shit, I just don't really understand why you didn't talk to me about it. I mean… I think I kind of deserve to know that my brothers are going to be the heirs to my future husband's throne. And that's another thing, if we're going to be married, you _should_ be telling me stuff," I said, pouting at him. His eyes softened and he took my cheeks into his hands (not those cheeks, you pervs).

"I'm sorry baby, I just… thought it would be a surprise for you if I asked them all to stay. If I told you about asking them to be my heirs, it would have given away the whole staying with us thing," he said, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "I think your brothers will be fantastic heirs once they go through some proper education."

"All I'm saying is that I think I should be part of things you're planning. I think you should tell me stuff and I really think that…" He cut me off by shoving his tongue down my throat. I moaned out, my tongue slipping into mouth before he forced it back into my own mouth.

I pushed him back after a minute. "And another thing. Why the _fuck_ did you tell my _mother_ that I used to be your _sex slave_? What would ever possess you to do that? I mean, honestly, you could have made something up. Did you really need to tell them all that you kept me here so I could spread my legs for you whenever you asked? So I could bed with you whenever you felt horny?" I demanded, keeping him a good seven inches away from me.

He blinked. "I… I was just being honest with them… I didn't really think…" he began.

"No, you really didn't think. Adam, you told my mom that I was your sex slave!" I exclaimed, frowning at him. I wasn't exactly angry but… that was an extremely stupid thing to tell my family, especially since we were planning on getting married soon.

"I… I'm sorry baby, I wasn't thinking, you're right… I just wanted to be honest and my honesty just went a little too far. Besides I didn't originally take you from your home to bed with me. It just happened and… why does it matter anymore?" he asked, his voice sounding sweet and loving. "What does it matter? We fell in love. We're in love and we'll always be in love," he whispered, leaning over to kiss me again.

I groaned, kissing him back. "I know that Adam… I just…" I sighed deeply, closing my eyes for a moment. "I just want you to be honest with me and not keep me out of the loop. I want you to treat me like I'm your husband and not your servant… And you didn't need to tell her that we've already had sex…"

He smiled, kissing me again. "I will, baby. But… if it makes you feel any better, I didn't tell anyone what I was planning. Not Tommy, not Cassidy, no one. And… honestly you can't really expect her to believe we haven't had sex already," he whispered against my lips, pushing me back into the pillows. "Now then… Can we continue with our love making?" he asked, licking my cheek. I blushed, moaning lightly.

"Of course…" I whispered, letting my knees falling away from my chest. Adam smirked at me and he move away from me for only a moment. He flipped me over onto my stomach and I could hear him moaning.

"It amazes me that you can just stop right in the middle of sex to yell at me," he mumbled from behind me and I smirked just slightly, looking back at him.

"It's one of my many talents, I suppose," I whispered, still smirking at him. He laughed out loud.

"One too many if you ask me," he whispered, kneeling down behind me. I could practically hear him licking his lips in anticipation. "I'ma fuck you so hard…" he growled, slapping my ass once. I moaned, pushing my ass up into the air.

"Then do it," I told him, looking over my shoulder at him. "Fuck me so hard."

He smirked, rubbing my ass before slapping it again. I gasped, growling at him. "I'll make you eat those words, you whore," he hissed at me. I merely pushed myself back onto him.

"Make me eat them," I told him, my elbows resting on the mattress and my head bowed towards the sheets with my ass sticking up in the air. He smirked at me, grabbing my hips as he spread my cheeks apart, revealing my entrance to him. "Come on, Adam," I said, wiggling my hips, effectively shaking my ass in his face. "Fuck me. Make me eat my words," I told him.

He growled at me again, slapping my ass. "Why are you always so against me prepping you?" he asked me, leaning down to kiss my backside gently. I moaned, pushing back on him. Ra, I felt like a whore, begging for sex but I loved it… I loved every single second of it. I wouldn't ever act like this for anyone else, only for Adam.

"Because…" I whispered, a light blush heating up my cheeks. "I like it rough…" I told him. Despite my encounters with Brad and my encounter with that one greasy guy when I ran away from Adam, I'd grown quite used to raw, dirty sex. I loved it. It felt fantastic and I had to admit that I loved it rough… Most of the time. "I want you to treat me like I'm a bad boy…"

He smirked into the skin of my ass, I could feel it. "Naughty little fuck," he hissed, spitting into his hand to, no doubt, slick himself up. Only a moment later, he was shoving his bulk into me, nearly slamming into me from behind. I screamed into the blankets, shoving back on him to take all of him within me. Yeah, it hurt like Hell but it was a fantastic pain… "You sound like such a whore, Drake," Adam muttered into the flesh of my spine.

I groaned, pushing back against him. "Please Adam, fuck me hard. Fuck me like it's the last thing you'll ever do!" I shouted and he smirked, slamming his hips harshly into my thighs over and over again. I knew there would be some pretty intense bruises on my thighs and ass tomorrow, but right now I just didn't care. The only sounds that filled the room were my screaming, Adam's grunting and the constant sound of flesh slapping on flesh.

Adam's thrusts were powerful, each one pushing me forward and each one pulling a scream from my lips. "Adam, fuck! Baby please!" I shouted into the sheets, lifting my left hand to my throbbing erection. I was so thankful for the stone walls and for the fact that my family had been given rooms on the other side of the palace. I could never imagine what I would do if any of them overheard what went on in this bedroom, or worse, if they saw it…

I began pumping myself, my erection demanding attention. It was throbbing and hurting excruciatingly badly. Adam hissed at me, pulling my hand away from myself. "Stop touching yourself," he hissed in my ear and he wrapped his fingers tightly around the bass of my hard on, acting as a cock ring. I whimpered, thrusting into his hand in attempts to get the friction back.

"Adam… Adam please…" I whimpered, digging my nails into the comforter underneath me. I was sure that if I didn't get the attention my throbbing hard on demanding, I was going to shred the blanket apart with my hands.

Adam laughed out loud, like my neediness was funny. In truth, it probably was beyond funny to him. I didn't really give a fuck if I was amusing him or not, though. I just needed him to touch me! "Persuade me, baby," he whispered into my ear, pounding into me relentlessly. His pace was increasing and he was managing to bury himself even deeper within me.

"Fucking touch me, Adam!" I screamed at him, pushing back on him. He gasped, but my screaming at him worked. He pumped up and down on my erection a few times and, just like Tommy had done this morning, he let his index finger continuously play with the slit. I arched into him, screaming in ecstasy. Adam knew how much this drove me crazy and I was dangerously close to spilling all over his hand and the sheets below.

"F-fuck… Adam… I…" He slammed into me again, hitting that spot with all of his might. To my amazement, he was still keeping a perfect rhythm on my erection, still fingering the slit and I just couldn't take it. White flashed across my vision as I spill into Adam's hand, coming harder than I ever really thought possibly. I screaming into the blankets again, my top half completely collapsing onto the mattress. Adam kept my lower half in the air as he slammed into me erratically. My vision was still white and I couldn't really breathe very well.

With a few more thrusts, Adam came undone inside of me, spilling deeply within me. I cried out softly and Adam collapsed on to of me. We were breathing heavily, amazingly in unison. I groaned softly as he rolled off of me, gently pulling out of me. He scooped me into his arms, holding me tightly against him. "Baby?" he asked softly, running his fingers through my hair. "Boo? Are you alright?" he asked softly, kissing my forehead. I laid my head against his chest.

"I came so hard I thought I went blind…" I whispered into his chest and he just laughed quietly, leaning down to kiss me gently.

"You just had a huge orgasm, that's all, Boo. You'll be alright," he whispered, kissing me gently, a light smirk tugging at his lips. I blushed softly, kissing him back. "You'll be alright, I promise."


	10. My Own True Love

**Chapter Nine: So Fare Thee Well, My Own True Love (I'll Think Of You Night And Day)**

**Tommy's POV**

In the few, short weeks leading up to Drake and Adam's wedding, I saw very little of my best friend. And that was, in part, to a few reasons; I'd been sleeping a lot when I wasn't at dinner and Drake spent the majority of his time with, of course, Adam. I knew that I, really, didn't have a right to be jealous anymore. I needed to be happy for them. And, if nothing else, I had to, at least, _try_ to be happy.

But it was hard. Not seeing Drake put a damper on my, already, sour and unmotivated mood. I couldn't explain why I had no motivation to do anything, it was just how I felt. I was always very tired, very slow. I'd lost my appetite and could barely keep down a full plate at meal times. I knew that I was worrying Adam and Drake, both, but, to be honest, I didn't know what was wrong. I was just tired.

Part of me didn't want to believe that tonight was the last night Drake had as a single man… Part of me didn't want to accept that, early tomorrow afternoon, he and Adam would be bound together as married lovers. I didn't want to think about it, but it seemed like it was constantly there, nagging the back of my mind like a headache or infection that was just pulsing and beating and it _wouldn't leave me alone_…

'_Stop it, Tommy. Just stop it. You're whining like a five year old. Drake isn't the only person you've ever loved. He, probably won't be the last, either. Get over yourself._' I sighed softly, running fingers through my hair as I sat down at my vanity, staring at my reflection. My skin was pale, dark circles under my eyes. My hair was a little on the greasy end, but it wasn't too bad. Brown roots were growing from my scalp, fading into the brilliant blond.

My hair wasn't, always, naturally blond. It had been in my youth, but as I got older, the brown started showing through. I wasn't a fan of it, and Adam had been more than kind enough to keep me supplied with the dyes that I needed to keep it blond. More powerful than bleach and far less damaging to the hair, itself. I ran my fingers along my roots, sighing miserably. I'd need to do some touch ups soon.

But I found myself not even motivated enough for that. And I hated my natural brown hair. I had nothing against the color brown. It looked good on some people— like Drake— but not me. I was better with blond hair. Always blond. That was how I wanted to stay. And now I found myself not even caring enough to touch up the hair that I hated so passionately. Listen to me. I'm pathetic.

There was a knock at my door before the wooden slab was pushed open. I glanced over, seeing Drake stepping inside. I frowned slightly, sitting up a little straighter on the stool of my vanity. I hadn't expected to see Drake until tomorrow morning, when I would be dolling and dressing him up for his wedding. But here he was, in my room, wearing dark shorts and loose-fitting shirt, positioned in such a way that it draped off of his left shoulder, exposing his soft, smooth skin.

I blinked, feeling my face heating with a blush at memories of dreams where I claimed such skin. Drake padded across the stone, his bare feet almost silent as he wrapped his arms around my shoulders from behind, staring at my reflection in the mirror. He frowned, leaning his head against mine, "Tommy? Baby, are you okay? You're awfully pale…" He asked, reaching up and brushing the back of his hand against my cheek before pulling away.

"And you're burning up." He said, flattening his palm against my forehead. I leaned back, my head pressed against his chest as he felt the temperature of my forehead. My eyes slid shut and I felt myself relax. His hands felt like ice in comparison to my skin.

"Tommy, you need to lie down," he said, helping me off of the stool and over towards the bed. I groaned softly, but I fell into the comforts of the mattress and blankets. He walked across the room, flipping the light switch so that darkness enveloped us before he came back, crawling under the blankets beside me, pulling me into his arms. My head lolled against his chest, resting firmly in the crook of his neck. My right arm hooked around his waist, my left curled up between us, my palm flat against his chest.

"Baby, I hope you're not getting terribly sick…" He whispered into my hair. I shook my head slowly. But it felt like gravity had intensified around my body, and it was difficult to move much.

"No…" I mumbled weakly, "I'm fine.. I'm..tired… That's…all.." I murmured. It felt like I was trying to force the words out of my throat. I had to have been just tired. I needed to make it through tomorrow, at the very least, before just sleeping this bug off. Just some soup and sleep and I would be cured. That was all… And, maybe, the comfort of Drake's arms to sleep in..

"Tommy.." Drake's voice sounded like it was at the end of a hallway, and someone's hands were cupped over my ears, "You don't have to go tomorrow. If you're sick, I want you to get better." I whimpered, shaking the lead weight that was my head again.

"N-no… I..promised… I'll..be fine." I whispered, exhaling deeply as my mind shut off and I fell asleep.

For once, sleep did not decide to grace me with dreams of fucking Drake senseless. There were no instances where he was dressed as a slut with cropped cut hair, no moments of need in his eyes with his lips panting hot in my ear. There was nothing but darkness and sleep and, for a moment, I'd forgotten where I was until I felt Drake shift beside me.

I frowned slightly, trying to remember why he was in my room with me. Why I was curled up in his arms like he was trying to protect or comfort me. I blinked once, feeling the surge of an oncoming headache and I remembered. He stayed with me last night after coming in to check on me. Though, part of me wondered if him coming to me was his idea or Adam's— Adam. Their wedding. That's right.

I sighed softly, slumping against Drake a little more than I had before. What time was it? I turned my head, glancing out my window. The sun was well into the sky, but showed no signs of being anywhere near noon. When was their wedding, again? Like, one? Two in the afternoon? I wasn't sure, but I knew that it would be dawning upon us soon if I didn't wake him up.

I glanced back to Drake, seeing his sleeping face turned towards me. I let out a quiet breath, feeling my heart skip a beat in my chest. I'd never get over just how precious he truly was. I bit down on my bottom lip, reaching up and touching his cheek gently. He sighed in his sleep, stirring a little, forcing me to pull my hand away. After a moment his eyes fluttered open and met mine, dazed with sleep but rather pleasant.

"Good morning," he whispered delicately as a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, his breath fanning over my face. I inhaled slowly, feeling my heart skip a beat as I smiled.

"Morning," I said to him, reaching up again to caress the side of his face. He smiled a little wider, leaning into my touch and purring quietly. I bit down on my bottom lip, cupping his cheek in my hand and bringing him forward to press a kiss to his forehead. He whined quietly, and I chuckled, pulling away, "What?"

"Don't tease," he pleaded, tilting his head up to catch my lips. I moaned into his mouth, shivering lightly as he pushed his tongue between my teeth, tasting me for a brief moment before pulling away, smiling and blushing lightly. I inhaled slowly, smiling and kissing him again.

"We need to get you ready," I told him, feeling my pounding heart crack just a little. Drake blinked once, seeming confused for a second before he nodded, peeling the blankets off of his body and sitting up. I watched his back curve as he stretched his arms over his chest, groaning quietly before letting his arms fall into his lap. He glanced over his shoulder at me, smiling.

"Well, come on, Tommy," he said with a laugh. I smiled weakly, forcing myself up into a sitting position. Laying down, I'd felt fine, but sitting up made my head spin a little and I felt dizzy and sick. I sighed quietly, feeling Drake slide off the mattress as I rubbed my eyes gently, breathing deeply. I wasn't feeling nauseous or anything, but my head was hurting again and I felt the familiar lack of motivation and fatigue creeping on me again. Maybe there was some kind of a bug going around or something…

I groaned quietly, pushing myself off the bed. Drake was running his fingers through his hair at my vanity when I walked over to him. I put my hands on his hips from behind and I pressed a kiss to his cheek, "Go ahead and go get a bath ready. I'm gonna go get your wedding attire." I told him with a smile. His cheeks flamed and he turned his head, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. I moaned quietly, wrapping my arms around him, pulling him close as I rested my forehead into his for a moment.

Holding him in my arms was such a comfort that I had to fight the whine from my lips when he pulled away to go to the bathroom. I sighed quietly, forcing myself to leave my room and make the short trek down the halls towards Drake's sister's room. Drake had informed me that she was a bit of a seamstress, and, after making arrangements with her and another well-known seamstress in the city, Cassidy had gotten them together and they worked on Drake and Adam's wedding clothing.

I passed several servants who were hustling and bustling about to get things prepared for today's wedding. They were all excited, and they had every right; Adam was finally getting married. And they'd all heard the news that this was more of a commoner's wedding. That he had no intention of marrying anyone else. Not only was that uncommon for Pharaoh's, but the fact that Adam had fallen into such deep love again was a little more than pleasant for his people. I remember, for years, people thought he'd never find another like Alexander.

I sighed quietly, turning a corridor, nodding once in passing with another servant who was carrying linens. I walked down the hall, stopping at a door and knocking politely. And, at first, there was nothing, but after a few moments the door opened slowly and Drake's sister stood on the other side of the threshold.

There was no doubt that she was pretty. She had very womanly curves, though she wasn't yet eighteen, if I knew correctly. Her hair was pulled back into a loose braid, her eyes a bright, brilliant and ocean blue to match Drake's. Her skin was a little darker in color compared to Drake's, but there was no doubt that they were related. Clinging to her frame was a soft, cream colored dress with thin straps that accentuated her curves and flowed away at her hips, ending just at her knees. There was a gold chain hanging on her hips, no doubt accessories that she and the rest of her family had gotten as gifts from Adam.

She smiled warmly, a light blush painting itself across her cheeks as she bowed her head once to me, before looking back up to me, "Is there something I can help you with, Tommy?" She asked, her voice quiet and polite. I smiled at her as warmly as I could, even though I knew part of it was forced.

"Are the dressings done?" I asked. She nodded once, retreating into her room— which was decorated much like Drake's old room with similar colors— before coming back to me with two sets of clothes. I smiled at her, nodding in thanks, turning and walking back down the halls towards Adam's chamber. I figured I would give him his clothes first, since his room was closer than mine was. Of course, though, the walk took me a while— what, if with Drake's family rooming, practically, on the other side of the palace— even taking all the shortcuts that I knew of.

I'd been hoping to get back to Drake to bathe with him, but part of me knew that there was a slim chance of that happening with how long I was taking. I was moving as fast as my body, weak with exhaustion and this bug or whatever, would allow. Sweat was clinging to my hairline as I knocked on Adam's door, pushing the door open slowly. I glanced inside, seeing the Pharaoh sitting at his vanity, trying to wake himself up, it seemed. I smiled softly, walking across his chamber towards him.

"Adam?" I said. He glanced at me through his mirror and he smiled.

"Tommy." He acknowledged. I lifted his clothes into my other arm, holding them out for him as I stepped up beside him.

"Your attire for today. Specially crafted by Amalia and Elena," Elena was the other seamstress, "fit for a King." I commented. Adam smiled warmly, taking the dressings from my hands and setting them down on the table. He looked up at me, a frown tugging at his lips.

"Are you alright, Tommy? You look pale and tired," he said. I sighed softly, shrugging a shoulder.

"I didn't get much sleep last night," it wasn't a total lie. Sure, I slept like a rock, but I was still tired. Adam frowned slightly, looking at me quizzically.

"Will you be able to attend the ceremony?" He wondered.

"Of course. I am fine, Adam. I promise," I told him, leaning down and pressing a kiss to his cheek before turning on my heel and walking out of his chamber, heading towards my room. I would let Drake get dressed there so that I could do his makeup, as well.

The walk to my room was much shorter than Amalia's to Adam's, and in no time I was setting the dressings down on my bed, crossing back through the hall towards the bathroom. To my surprise, Drake was still in the bath, though I was sure I'd been gone for at least an hour, if not more. But there he was, his hair sticking to his face and neck, his body glistening with soap and water. I smiled softly, stripping quickly and slipping into the tub next to him.

"What're you still doing in here?" I asked, taking the soap from his hands to wash his back. He moaned quietly, leaning back into my touch as I pulled him onto my lap, washing his shoulders and going over his chest. Drake leaned his head back against my shoulder as I scrubbed his thighs. Much as I wanted to touch him and kiss him as we always did, there was simply no time to waste… Even if we found it enjoyable.

"Waiting for you, of course," Drake said and I felt my face heat up as I continued washing him. I was careful with his thighs and groin, making sure to wash him so that I wasn't exciting. I knew, by the pout on his lips, that he wasn't pleased with my actions, but it had to be done. I helped rinse him off before handing him the soap and turning so my back was flat against his chest and he began washing me.

"What took you so long?" He questioned gently, practically whispering into my ear as he rubbed the soap against my thighs, sliding up and over my stomach and my chest. I sighed quietly, leaning into him.

"I had to go across the palace to get yours and Adam's clothing. Even with the shortcuts, it was still a long walk," I explained. Drake nodded once, washing me in silence before rinsing me off. His arms snaked around my waist and he dropped his forehead onto my shoulder. I frowned, turning my attention towards him.

"Drake? What's the matter, love?" I asked him, reaching up to touch his face.

"I know this is hurting you." He mumbled quietly. My jaw dropped slightly, but I didn't say anything. I didn't want him to really know that I was upset about this because I wanted him to be happy. I knew that Adam made him happier than anyone else, even me. I couldn't stand in the way of that for him, no matter how much it killed me inside.

"Baby… Don't worry about me, please. Yes, it hurts, but I'll be okay. I'm a big, tough boy. It's not the end of the world." I told him, smiling softly. Drake lifted his head, smiling at me as he pressed a kiss to the corner of my mouth. I chuckled quietly, turning my head a little more to properly kiss him. He moaned softly, helping me shift so that I was facing him, my hands pressing his shoulders into the wall of the tub as we kissed. Somehow his tongue found its way into my mouth before mine shoved him back and we ended up tangled in his mouth.

I pulled away, resting my forehead against his as we panted for breath. My hands lifted away from his shoulders and I palmed his face tenderly, rubbing circles into his cheeks before kissing him again. Chaste and sweet, but I poured every ounce of my heart into that one little kiss. One of the last I would give him before he was Adam's, forever.

"I love you," I whispered without, really, meaning to. Drake blushed, kissing me again, bringing me closer to him. Our lips brushed as he spoke quietly.

"I love you, too, Tommy. Always." I could've died right then and there. I didn't want to break the silence of the moment between us as he held me close, mouths pressed together in a single, gently kiss, but I had to.

"We should get out. You need to be dolled up and made extraordinarily beautiful." I told him. He nodded once, pecking my lips again before I helped him out of the tub. We dried off quickly, towels wrapped around our waists as we scurried across the hallway back to my room. I shut the door, crossing to my wardrobe and opening the doors. I reached inside for a pair of cream colored trousers, a shear white shirt and a cream colored vest.

Closing the doors, I turned, seeing Drake holding up the shirt, the towel still clinging to his waist. His eyes were staring at each of the details and I smiled, setting my clothes down on the stool by my vanity. Drake seemed to be in awe of the detailing; the material was silk with golden embroidery of hieroglyphics around the sleeves, neckline and the hem. The hieroglyphics wrote out promises of love, adoring and endless devotion. The same was for the pants on the waist line, hems and the seams.

The pants were made of the same silk material, ending and synching around the knees for comfort and coolness. I walked up behind Drake, resting my chin on his shoulder, smiling softly as my arms snaked around his body. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" I asked. He seemed to be a loss for words, and he could only nod.

"Your sister made it." I told him. He blinked, turning his head to face me.

"Really?" He asked. I smiled wider, nodding again. A smile graced his lips and I turned away to get dressed. I heard the shuffle Drake's towel falling off of his body as he slipped into his wedding clothes. I removed my own towel, stepping into my trousers and letting them hang off of my hips. I pulled the shear shirt on over my head, smoothening it out over my chest before sliding into the vest, letting it hang off my shoulders.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Drake dressed and looking more radiant than ever before. I gasped softly, staring as the sunlight seemed to wash in and act as a spotlight for him. His hair was shining, glowing with a tint of blond in the chocolate. The silk clung and curved to all the right spots, accentuating the slight curve of hip that he had, hanging loosely around his knees and off his shoulders.

"Ra, Drake…" I whispered, unable to look away. He whipped around, looking at me, blushing.

"W-what?" He asked, so shy and bashful…

"You're beautiful." I commented with a smile, walking over to him and, palming his face in my hands, I kissed him hard. Drake moaned into my mouth, winding his arms around my neck and tangling his fingers into my hair, pulling delicately. I whimpered against his lips, deepening the kiss. For several moments, our mouths meshed, wet clicks and pops, the slips of tongue and teasing before we pulled away, breathless.

I reached up, taking his hands in mine, pulling him over to my vanity. I had him sit down as I pulled out eye liner, blush, shadow, lip stains and set powder. Things I would need to accent his natural beauty as opposed to completely covering it up. I started with his eyes, applying thin, elegant liner, letting it sweep just off of his eyes. I smiled, letting it dry for a moment before smudging a shimmery, dark cream colored shadow onto his lids, applying a lighter shade below his eyebrows so that it had a fading effect.

Setting the eye makeup aside, I picked up a soft blush, rubbing my thumbs with it before smearing it onto his cheekbones, smudging and evening it so that he has a soft tint of pink to his face. I smiled softly, grabbing a light pink stain. Nothing dramatic, just a nice touch. Taking the set powder into hand, I patted his face with it, giving his face a flawless, clean look before grabbing a hairbrush and running it through the few snarls on the back of his head.

I ran my fingers through his chocolaty locks, sprucing it up and giving it a little bit of volume. I took up a small golden clip that had a beautifully painted scarab beetle attached to it, pinning his bangs out of his face. I knew Adam would want his hair to be down, but the least I could do for Drake was keep it out of his face. I smiled at him, fixing his hair in a few places before stepping out of the way of the mirror and around behind him.

Drake's eyes locked with his reflection in the mirror and he gasped. I rested my chin on his shoulder again, staring at him through the mirror. He lifted a hand, touching his fingertips to his cheek, turning his head left to right for a moment before grinning ear to ear, "Tommy," he said softly, "I… I look.."

"Utterly beautiful," I commented, pressing a kiss to his hair, "like a husband fit for a Pharaoh… Fit for Gods…" I whispered.


	11. Boy, I Think I Want To Marry You

**Chapter Ten: Boy, I Think I Want To Marry You  
Adam's POV**

To say the least, I was nervous. I couldn't really explain why I was nervous to marry the man I loved so much, but I was. Egyptian weddings weren't exactly complicated matters. Being a Pharaoh and, therefore royal, my wedding was bound to be a little more extravagant than an everyday wedding, but the base line was the same. Drake and I would basically recite vows from what many people called "wisdom literature". It was filled with promises of treating each other well and always loving one another.

The ceremony was actually very simple and very short. The celebration afterwards was what the wedding was all about. Dozens, perhaps hundreds of foods would be set out for guests to eat. Music and dancing took up the rest of the night. Egyptians had this never ending need for music, so it only made sense that it would be a featured part of any wedding. I wanted to sing to Drake today. Even though we were both getting married, it was really his day and I wanted everything to be absolutely perfect for him. He was my bride and I, as his husband, would do everything in my ability to make him happy. Drake, I was sure, would outshine me today and he should.

Maybe that's why I was so nervous. The idea of seeing Drake in a, more or less, God-like manner was, perhaps, too much to me to handle. I already held Drake above all others. I would do anything for him. If he asked or even hinted that he wanted something, it was his. I simply couldn't refuse him, but to see him in a state that I was sure Tommy would put him in for today? That was uncanny. It wouldn't be holding him above everyone else anymore. He would be everyone else. In an hour's time, I truly believed that he would steal my heart from my chest all over again.

That was a good thing though. I wanted to treat my bride like he was the only person in the world. I wanted him to know that I loved him more than life itself and that, despite our age difference, he would always be my top priority and I would always love him more than anything else. Compared to some of the age differences between past Pharaohs and their wives, thirteen years was simply not that big of a difference. Where we would be in twenty years didn't bother me. I knew Drake and I would always love each other.

It was a little unfair of me to ask for his hand in marriage, not only because of Tommy, but because I knew I would depart from this world before Drake did. I had already prepared my will just as an extra precaution and, in writing, I had told Drake I left everything to him. The palace, the servants and my power over Egypt. If I were to die before I was able to chose and heir myself, Drake would become Pharaoh until he made a choice on who should succeed him. He was the only person I trusted for it and I wouldn't have been able to leave that power to him if we weren't married.

I was marrying Drake purely out of love, but there were a lot of loose ends that were tied with our marriage as well. I knew it wasn't fair of me to take a bride who would live much longer than I was, but I was greedy… I had to admit it. I loved Drake too much not to have him as my bride. He was my everything, that's why I left him everything. It probably wasn't fair of me to expect him to take over my throne, but… I simply couldn't trust anyone else. I just had to tell him so he wasn't surprised if it actually happened.

But that could wait for another day. Today was Drake's day and I was going to give him everything I possibly could, starting with vows, continuing to extravagant wedding gifts, dancing and ending with the most romantic night he'd ever imagined in our chambers… My skin felt hot and tight just thinking about it but that would have to wait. I actually had to make it through my wedding before I could go crazy on Drake's body…

"Adam?" Cassidy called after knocking lightly on the door. "Are you ready? You know you have to appear before your… bride does," he said, chuckling softly. I just finished smudging liner around my eyes. Nothing much besides that. I couldn't outshine Drake's beauty and I didn't even want to try.

I set the tube down and turned to Cassidy. "Yeah, I'm ready," I told him, pulling on my golden sandals. Cassidy smiled at me and walked over. He looked extremely nice today but not as nice as I did, not that I was conceited or anything. Who would try to out dress the Pharaoh and his bride on their wedding day? I stood, looping my arm with my friend's and he took me out into the gardens.

A lot of the design was of Drake's doing. He didn't actually put the scenery together but he did sketch it out in extremely fine detail. The large fountain in the center of the garden acted as an alter of sorts. Roses of ever color were draped all the way around it. Tapestries embroidered with the same hieroglyphics that lined my clothing hung on statues and stringed light glowed lightly in the sun. They were more for decoration until the sun began to go down. Right now they didn't serve much purpose.

Drake's family were already here, setting up the rest of the decorations and the tables that food would be set out on later tonight. Everything was beautiful, perfect really, but what else would I expect from Drake's design? "What do you think?" Cassidy whispered into my ear. I knew he put a lot of effort into making all of this come to life. He wanted today to be just as perfect as I did, if not more so.

"Beautiful Cassidy. A wedding fit for Gods," I told him, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek. He smiled at me but I could tell he was envious. He had wanted to marry Bradley so badly… Well before we all found out what a scum bag he really was.

"Good, I'm glad you like it," he said, grinning ear to ear. "Now go take your place, alright? Drake should be coming out any minute now." I nodded, walking over to the fountain. An ancient scroll was rolled out on the hearth. It listed our vows in Arabic. Drake told me he was quite fluent in the language but I'd never heard him speak it before… I kept reading the vows over and over and by the time Cassidy announced Drake's arrival, I was grinning like a love struck fool.

I turned to view my bride and my breath caught in my chest. Drake was probably the most beautiful person I had ever laid my eyes on. He always had been but today? Today he looked like he wasn't even human. He shined like a God and, for a brief moment, I wondered if Drake was a God. It sounded stupid, but he could have definitely been one. What human was so beautiful?

Tommy stood with him, arm in arm. I'd been staring at the scroll for so long, I hadn't even noticed that most of the palace had showed up, including the inksman I had hired for all of Drake's inkings and the wedding planner. The blond escorted Drake to me, giving him to me as if he were handing over his most prized possession. My heart ached for him, but he just smiled brightly at me, as if telling me not to worry. I took Drake from Tommy, taking both of his hands in mine. I didn't think reciting vows would be so hard but seeing Drake looking so beautiful made me realize that… I was really speechless.

Drake blushed under the light layer of make up, intensifying the pink blush. "My Pharaoh?" he whispered, smiling at me. "Are you alright?"

"Never been better," I told him. I wanted to lean forward and kiss those beautiful lips, but I couldn't. Not yet. We had to do this properly, meaning the kissing waited until after the vows were over. He raised his eyebrows at me, smirking softly. "Honestly," I told him, squeezing his hands gently. His smirk faded away and his innocence radiated out again. He could have fooled everyone, even the Gods would have believed he was a virgin. If I wasn't the one fucking his brains out every night, I would have believed he was a virgin.

There was a priest type person, but he didn't play a huge role in the wedding like one would in Western culture. He was mainly there to make the bond "official" and to introduce us to the crowd. Drake and I did most of the work ourselves.

"Today we gather to witness this beautiful young man wed Our Pharaoh. I think we've all been waiting a long time to see our Pharaoh take a bride," the man said, his voice booming around the garden. Drake blushed. The word "bride" always made him light up, which I found completely adorable. The crowd laughed softly, smirking at the comment about me finally getting married. I merely shook my head, taking it lightly. Drake grinned, glancing over at where his family sat. His sister was absolutely star struck. His mother looked so happy, so proud of Drake. His younger brothers seemed like they just wanted to get to the more fun things of the night, but Eric seemed to be taking this extremely seriously.

"Drake has proven himself to be much more than anyone would ever think a farm boy could be. We're all blessed by the Gods to see him marry Our Pharaoh." the man announced again, smiling at Drake who was, once again, blushing. The man gestured to the script. "Our Pharaoh and his bride will read their vows in our ancient language and then we will celebrate." He looked at me. "My Pharaoh?" he muttered, waving a hand over the script. I looked down at it, smiling even though my mouth felt really dry.

I began speaking my vows, mostly from memory but glancing down at the text when needed. I tried to keep my eyes locked on Drake's hypnotic blue eyes, but I couldn't recite the entire thing from memory. Drake smiled the entire time, clearly understanding every promise I made. To protect him, to love him, to cherish him and hold him above all others. Of course there were many promises to be made, but those were the most important.

Once I was finished, Drake began speaking just as fluently as I had. Perhaps he had taught himself Arabic. Most framers didn't know it because they had to choose working over getting a good education. I was working hard to fix that, but it was a work in progress. Drake was much brighter than the average farm boy. It was clear to me that he had memorized most of his vows as well but, like me, he glanced at the scrolls every now and then to make sure he spoke properly. He did. Every single word made my smile grow and, when he was finished, I scooped him into my arms, pulling him close.

It wasn't Egyptian customs to give our spouses rings, but I had found one that I absolutely fell in love with. It was white gold, a thin, delicate band that had a small Eye of Horus set on top of the band. The pupil was a beautiful greenish opal. It cost a pretty penny, but it was worth it and I slipped it onto Drake's ring finger, just as a constant reminder of our bond. He was finally my husband and I… I just couldn't believe it.

Tears swelled in his eyes and he wrapped his arms around my neck, kissing me deeply. I couldn't fight the moan that pulled itself from my throat. We kissed passionately for several long minutes. People were cheering and a few people even hooted. They were probably all but happy that their Pharaoh finally married someone. I couldn't really blame them. I was ecstatic to finally have a husband. For a long time, I never thought it would happen to me.

"I love you," he whispered against my lips, pulling back just enough to look me in the eye. I smiled brightly, pecking him on the lips again.

"I love you too, baby." I know what you're all thinking, the wedding wasn't anything special. Well, the ceremony wasn't really but the celebration afterwards is what an Egyptian wedding was really all about. He cupped my face in his hands, the cool metal of his new ring burning into my flesh. I smiled, taking the opportunity to steal another kiss from him.

"You didn't need to buy me a ring," he commented but I shushed him.

"Yes I did. Don't argue with me, please Boo," I begged, wrapping my arms tightly around the boy's waist. He smiled, shaking his head. I knew he'd let me buying him something slide this one time, but usually he'd put up a huge fit about me spending money on him, even if it was something that he really wanted.

People began to stand and roam around. The first person to come up to Drake and I was his mother. She kissed her son's cheek gently, smiling at him before looking up at me. "I expect you to keep every single promise you just made to my son for as long as you are married to him," she told me, taking my face in her gentle hands. She kissed my cheek as well, standing on her tip toes to reach me. Drake was about five-eight, five-nineish. She was several inches shorter than him. "I don't care if you are the Pharaoh of Egypt. If you hurt my son, I'll kill you," she said, smiling beautifully at me. Hadn't Tommy made a similar threat? I'm sure Cassidy had threatened that at some point too. Everyone was so protective of Drake, Ra…

"Mama, don't scare him," Drake said, laughing softly. She merely smiled, tears swelling in her eyes. Drake bit his lip. "Mama…"

"I'm sorry, honey, I'm sorry. It's just… were did my little boy go? You just grew up so fast and now you're royalty…" she said, shaking her head as a few tears slipped down her cheek. I knew they were tears of happiness though. She was ecstatic for her son and she pulled him into a tight hug for several long minutes. "I've never been so proud of anyone. You're father was so wrong about you, baby," she whispered into his ear. Drake's face brightened even more at that. He'd told me about his father and the man was, more or less, a bastard. I'm glad his mother saw him in a much brighter light.

She departed and all of Drake's siblings came up, attacking him with hugs and brotherly/sisterly kisses. He just smiled, laughing with them. His sister made a very similar threat to me but she was far too happy for her brother to sound threatening. A lot of people came up to wish us the best after Drake's family, but eventually they all melted away to get food or to dance to festive music played by a small band.

Cassidy and Tommy were the last two to approach us. They both wore bright smiles, appearing happy for us but Tommy looked paler than he had over the last couple of days. He looked sick and I was beginning to worry greatly about him… but when I asked, he brushed it off.

"Never seen you too smile so much," Cassidy said, pressing a kiss to my lips and then to Drake's. We both smiled at him and Drake leaned into me, putting a hand on my chest.

"Well, we have a reason to smile, don't we?" Drake asked. Tommy and Cassidy chuckled, kissing him on each side of his cheek.

"You're just too adorable," Cassidy mumbled into the boy's cheek. "And you've got everybody fooled into believing you're innocent."

Drake huffed. "Please, Cassidy, I am innocent," he retorted. Even I had to laugh at that.

"No you aren't baby. I would know," I told him, burying my face into his vanilla scented locks. "You are a kinky little bitch and you know it." Tommy and Cassidy smirked as Drake huffed again, pouting. I kissed his pouting lips, taking his hands tightly into mine. "Aww, don't pout at me like that, baby," I whispered, kissing him again. "You know everybody is just teasing."

"You tease a little too much," he whispered, kissing me back gently. I moaned, briefly slipping my tongue into his mouth to taste him. The kiss didn't last long though. We still had a huge celebration to get through before we could… slip into a more intimate state. Drake whined and Tommy rolled his eyes.

"You've got plenty of time for that later, Drake. Right now you and Adam need to go share your first dance as a married couple," he said, pushing us both towards the rest of the crowd. Drake looked a little wary but I took his hands tightly in mine, pulling him along with me.

"Come on, Boo, you'll be fine. One dance won't kill you," I told him, wrapping my arms tightly around his being. He leaned into me, wrapping his arms around my neck and we danced, slow and easy. For a while, the crowd simply watched us dance. It was probably a real treat for them, to watch their Pharaoh dance with his new bride. Drake rested his head on my shoulder, swaying and spinning with me as if we were one person.

Eventually people began to dance with us, so we weren't the center of attention anymore. It was nice because we could slip away to get some food. Drake and I ate more than we probably should have, but we were celebrating. We had a right to overeat, if only for one day. Drake curled up in my lap, leaning against my chest.

"Are you happy, baby?" I whispered into his ear. He blushed softly, looking up at me. I smiled down at him, patiently waiting for his answer.

"I've never been this happy before, Adam. I mean… today was so simple but it was so beautiful," he whispered, reclining to kiss my neck gently. "I never thought I would be married like this. Even when you came to find me when I ran away, I never thought that I would be getting married. I always thought I would be married to the first girl I got along with and that I would be making babies with her but never making love with her…" He kissed my neck gently again, forcing a soft moan from my lips. "I never… expected to be so in love and so loved back when I was married. I definitely never thought I would be marrying the Pharaoh of Egypt." Tears shined in his eyes and I leaned down to kiss them away from his cheeks.

"Baby, you've made me so happy. I couldn't stand not being married to you anymore," I whispered into his cheek, licking away the few tears that had escaped.

"You've just given me the opportunity to be something great. Something more than I ever thought I would be…" he whispered, turning into me to wrap his arms around me. I rubbed his back with slow, gentle circles. "Baby…"

I kissed him gently, my fingers winding into his hair. "You were always destined for something great. You could have done it without me, you know," I whispered, pressing gentle kisses into his hair every other word. "I've never seen you look so beautiful… You've always been breathtaking, but today? Today I truly believe the Gods have blessed me with one of their own." Drake's cheeks flamed but he smirked just a touch.

"Perhaps I am a God, Adam, you never know," he whispered, pressing a kiss into my cheek. I smiled just a touch.

"Oh? And… what would a God find use in me for?" I questioned but he only shook his head, smiling at me.

"Don't question what you can't understand," he whispered into my ear, nipping the lobe gently. I groaned, pulling him closer to me.

We cuddled there for a long time, happy and full, but eventually people came over to pull us back into the celebration. I didn't mind much and Drake was feeling festive, so we went back into the crowd. I kept my arms tightly around Drake, holding him as if he were my most prized possession. "Baby, I wanted to sing something for you. I know you love to hear me sing and I don't sing enough to you but today is a special day and I want you to know just how much you mean to me."

Drake turned in my arms to face me, his eyes shining. The sun was already going down and the stringed lights were beginning to glow brightly. Drake's eyes caught the light beautiful and they intensified the natural beauty of his irises. "Really?" he whispered to me. I nodded, leaning down to kiss him gently.

"Absolutely, baby. Today's your day and I don't think it would be fair of me not to sing for you," I told him, kissing him gently for just a moment. He blushed but nodded, encouraging me to sing. I took his cheeks in my hands, rubbing gentle circles into the beautiful, doll-like skin.

_"There's always that one person that will always have your heart. You never see it coming 'cause you're blinded from the start. Know that you're that one for me, it's clear for everyone to see. Oh baby, you will always be my Boo,"_ I sang, quietly at first before growing louder for the guests to hear as well. The lyrics were just too fitting for Drake. Every single word was true.

I paused for a moment, staring into Drake's eyes. People were holding their breath, listening closely. I smiled, leaning my forehead against Drake's. _"Do you remember, boy, who was the one who gave you your first kiss? Cause I remember boy, who was that one who said put your lips like this. Even before all of the fame and people screaming your name,"_ that was more true than Drake really wanted to admit, _"Boy I was there and you were my baby."_

Drake's eyes were shimmering and my heart clenched a few times in my chest, skipping beats just as often. _"It started when we were younger and you were my baby. Now another chapter's taken over but it's still in your eyes, my Boo. Even though we used to argue, it's alright, it's alright, boy, it's okay. And if we haven't seen each other in a while, you will always be my Boo."_ Tears began to roll down Drake's cheeks and I just swept them away with the pads of my thumbs. _"My ooh, my ooh, my ooh, my Boo,"_ I sang a few times. I repeated lines, making the song last for around four minutes but Drake was shaking from his tears before I was even half way done.

I pulled the boy tightly into my chest, holding him too me and I sang the final _"My baby, my Boo."_ He was smiling brightly through his tears and he pushed himself up onto his toes to kiss me full on the lips. I moaned, kissing him back deeply. I could feel people's eyes boring into us but I simply didn't care. None of them mattered at this moment. The only person who did matter was clenched tightly in my arms, kissing me like I was the only person on Earth.


	12. Take My Hand, Take My Whole Life, Too

**Chapter Eleven: Take My Hand, Take My Whole Life, Too, For I Can't Help Falling In Love With You  
Drake's POV**

The late hours of the night rolled in, breaching to almost the early morn before the dancing and the partying began to die down and Adam and I retreated to our chamber for some private time to ourselves. We were exhausted from dancing and socializing, but there was a kind of fire that was still pulsing through our blood, keeping us light on our feet as he dragged me down the dark halls.

My heart was pounding in my chest, a smile stretching itself across my lips as Adam's hand tightened ever so slightly, his fingers laced between mine, pulling me into the confines of our chamber. _Ours_. My heart stuttered in its rhythm for a brief moment and I was grinning like an idiot as the door clicked shut behind me, enveloping us in darkness that was both cool and pulsing with heat.

Adam's lips were pressed up against mine, his body leaving not nearly enough room to even properly breathe as he sandwiched me to the door. A moan left my lips as my eyes slid shut, my fingers sliding into Adam's hair and getting tangled in the midnight locks. I tensed my arms, pulling gently— at first— on his hair, tugging a groan from the back of his throat. Adam's hands clung to my hips, dragging me away from the door and down towards the bed.

I giggled as our lips broke, my hands falling away from his hair. He released my hips, taking my hands in his as he stopped on a step lower than me, giving us enough of a height difference that we were on eye level with one another. I smiled, leaning forward to catch his lips again, slipping my tongue between his teeth. Adam moaned softly, tilting his head to change the angle of the kiss as his tongue fought with mine for dominance in his mouth; a battle that I won. A blush spread like fire on my face but my lips were curved into a smug grin when he pulled away, pulling me towards the bed again.

"I'm gonna wipe that smug look of your face, Drake, just you wait," Adam commented, leaving a tease of a kiss against the curve of my jaw. I moaned quietly as he turned us, pushing me down so that my back and hips were on the bed but my legs curled off, feet flat on the floor. I smiled, my mind in a daze from the wedding up to now, and I sat up slowly, reaching out and wrapping my arms around Adam's waist.

"Is that so, love?" I questioned quietly, leaving a kiss against his chest. Adam smiled down at me, caressing my cheek before digging his fingers into the thick mane of my hair, pulling sharply. He bent my head back, exposing my throat in all of its glory. I cried out, pain shooting down my spine before mixing into pleasure as Adam nipped at my throat and neck, breathing hot and heavy against my skin.

I moaned softly, arching into his kisses and touches as Adam's other hand slid down my side, trailing along the hem of my shirt before slipping underneath it. I shivered, feeling his cool fingers against my burning flesh as they raked up towards my nipples. I gasped softly as his nails scraped over the bud of a nipple, sending shivers down my spine in the process. My eyes slid shut, my mouth open in a moan.

"Adam…" I whispered softly as Adam tugged on my shirt, pulling it up and over my head, leaving me in the few pieces of jewelry and my trousers. I opened my eyes, staring into his which were dark, pupils blown wide with lust. I gasped again as Adam pulled me up, helping me slide towards the middle of the bed before pushing me flat onto my back, his legs straddling my legs, his lips teasing my skin.

I whined softly, arching up into his kisses as his nails dug into my sides, gently scratching into me. My chest was rising and falling with heavy breathing as Adam nipped at my left earlobe, tugging on it with his teeth, sucking sweetly on my skin like it was candy. His hands were fiddling with a necklace that hung, cool and heavy, around my neck. He managed to pluck it free and toss it aside as I moaned softly, my hands playing with the hem of his shirt as he let go of my earlobe with a gentle pop, kissing my lips tenderly.

"You're so beautiful, Drake." He whispered into my mouth, forcing me to blush madly. I smiled at him, my eyes barely opening long enough before he kissed my throat, his hands curling around the waistband of my trousers, pulling them down inch by agonizingly slow inch. I whined quietly, lifting my hips enough for him to pull my trousers down around my thighs, before tugging them off of my legs entirely.

"So beautiful… And all mine," Adam ghosted a kiss to my jaw, his fingertips trailing over the curve of my thighs, up along the tattoos on my hips. I shivered lightly, my eyes fluttering closed as he left those brief caresses, raising chills in my skin while he kissed and licked my throat and shoulders. My hands fell away from the hem of his shirt, my arms sprawled out to my sides.

Adam left kisses in my skin that electrified my nerves, sending me on a frenzy of pleasure and relaxation. My teeth hooked around my bottom lip and I whined softly as his lips graced the insides of my thighs. His tongue lapped out, tracing the nearly-vanished scars and I gasped quietly, arching. The memory of the burn from the knife cutting into me lingered like a nightmare that was slipping from my mind. Adam's hands curled around the undersides of my knees, pushing my legs up and away from my body.

I kept my eyes closed, hands curling into fists, balling up the sheets and blankets in my palms. Adam breathed against the base of my growing erection, making it twitch and tingle with pleasure. I smiled, humming quietly as his lips dragged a wet kiss into my thigh again, making me tremble gently, "Adam…" I moaned softly, lolling my head to the side.

Adam's lips left another kiss to the back of my thigh before he ghosted a breath into my entrance. My eyes opened wide as I moaned, arching slightly off of the bed before falling back into my relaxed positions, my knees drawn up and exposing my thighs and ass, heels digging into the bed, fingers clawing at the blankets. Adam breathed into me again and my eyes rolled to the back of my head, a moan caught in my chest.

Moist and wet, Adam's tongue circled the ring of muscle before pushing in, slow and teasingly. I whimpered quietly, fisting the blankets so hard I was sure my knuckles stretched white. Adam slid his tongue deeper and deeper, making me moan louder and louder, until his lips were pressed to my skin and I was arched off the bed, whining and panting. He'd never been this slow, this steady. I wasn't sure if I liked it or not.

"Fuck, Adam…" I moaned, breathing hard, trying to keep myself from rocking back on his tongue. Part of me knew that Adam was smiling as best he could with his tongue shoved up my ass, another part simply didn't care when he started to move it. Whimpers and high-pitched, embarrassing noises fell from my lips as he, essentially, fucked me so slowly with his tongue.

Adam's hands slid down the backs of my thighs, his fingers light and feathery to the touch before he slid them up around my erection, teasing the skin of the base and the slit in the head. I bucked, crying out, shaking and, instinctively, pushing back on his tongue, feeling it press deep and nudge that sweetest of spots within me. Stars flittered across my vision and I gasped, bucking again.

"Oh, fuck! Adam, please… Adam, please, I.. I need you.." I whimpered, pulling at the blankets for a moment as I tried to relax. Adam hummed, his tongue swirling back and forth inside of me as his hands continued to massage me, his thumb swiping over the slit again. I choked, forgetting how to breathe as my back lifted off of the bed. "_Please!_" I whined, lifting my head first, then my body, enough to stare down at him.

Adam's eyes lifted to meet mine, his pupils blown so wide, I swore I couldn't even really see the whites of his eyes anymore. His mouth was pressed flush to my ass, his fingers working expertly on my member. I gasped, trying to breathe and calm my thrashing heart as he pulled away, forcing a whine off of my lips when he leaned over my knees, pressing a kiss to my neck. I shivered, my arms struggling to keep me up as he nipped just on the underside of my jaw.

"Lay down, Drake. Let me take care of you," he said, one of his hands sliding flat against my chest, pushing me back down into the sea of blankets.

Adam lips left a burning, wet trail down my chest and to my groin, his breath fanning against me. I lifted my hips, my erection bumping and sliding gently against his lips. He opened them enough to wrap them around the head, his tongue lashing out to tease the slit. I arched, crying out lightly. My legs, shaking, fell away and spread themselves out, knees bent slightly.

His hands curled over my thighs, holding them down as his head slid down, swallowing me deeper and deeper. But it wasn't fast enough. It wasn't rough enough. I lifted my hips again, forcing myself deeper, hitting the back of his throat. He did not falter or choke; he simply swallowed and took me even deeper. I cried out, arching deeply, my hands reaching out to thread themselves into his hair, and I tightened, pulling hard.

Adam growled around my erection, his teeth scraping the skin and making me writhe. I tugged on his hair again, thrusting my hips up into his throat. We were caught between Adam sucking me off and me fucking his mouth, but it was a perfect blend of both that had Adam moaning— simply because he couldn't do much else— and myself on the verge of screaming, stars dancing over my vision every time he teased my slit.

"Fuck, Adam, fuck! So fucking good.. mm, Ra, shit, shit, shit!" I hissed, bringing his head down as my hips came up. His lips made contact with my groin repeatedly, and I felt the tension of my release building up in the base of my spine, tightening and tightening. Constant moans were falling from my lips and I wanted to punch Adam in the face when his hands held me down and he pulled off of me.

"Adam, fuck, please, don't…" I whimpered, but he leaned forward, pressing a kiss to my neck, silencing me.

"Let me take care of you. I know what I'm doing, baby… But you can't come yet," he whispered, squeezing the base of my erection, forcing my orgasm back. I whined, bucking into his hand, trying to get friction. But he pulled it away before I could get anything satisfactory.

"Adam, please, baby, I.. I need you, I need.." I whined softly, my hands curling over his shoulders, pulling him down into a hot, dirty kiss. His tongue split the seam of my lips, and I could taste the saltiness of precome as well as the entire essence of my being. I moaned, digging my nails into the flesh of his shoulders. Adam groaned quietly, fucking my mouth with his tongue as he pushed me back down, hovering over me, his knees straddling my hips.

After a moment, Adam pulled away, causing another sharp whine to leave my mouth, and he smirked at me, "Calm down, baby… Let me take care of you, tonight. You're gonna feel so good…" He whispered in my ear, his tongue reaching out and briefly dipping into the shell of my ear. I whined again, shivering as he nipped at my ear for a moment before pressing soft, butterfly kisses to my jaw, throat and shoulders.

I tilted my head back, exposing more of my throat to him, offering up my skin to mark and claim for his own, and he did without a moment's hesitation. Adam's teeth dug into the flesh of my neck, dragging out moans and hisses of pained pleasure from within me as he sucked sweetly. My hands tightened, nails curling deeper into his shoulders, pulling him closer to me. But I needed more of him. I needed to feel him in all the ways I'd known before.

Adam's hands slid down my sides, resting firmly at my hips as he sucked on different spots of my neck, sending shivers up and down my spine. My nerves felt like they were constantly being hit with electric shocks, each one more intense than the last. His hands trailed hot and heavy down my thighs before crawling back up, his lips pressing tight to the underside of my jaw. My eyes slipped shut and I moaned quietly, smiling faintly as his hands pushed my thighs apart.

"I love you," he whispered into my skin. Chuckled, I turned my head, catching his lips in a gentle kiss.

"I love you," I replied into his mouth, feeling him nudge a finger into my entrance, sliding it in slowly.

No matter how much I'd had sex, no matter how rough or soft I liked it, I always tensed and I always forgot to breathe. I forgot the things that should have, practically, been second nature to me. Because when Adam pushed that single finger in, my vision went fuzzy and my mouth opened in a sharp gasp, my back raising off the bed slightly. And then I remembered that I needed to let out this breath and calm down, and I slumped back into the sheets, moaning quietly.

Adam kissed me sweetly, moving the digit slowly, working me open. I whimpered into the kiss, sliding my hands up into his hair and pulled, rocking my hips to meet his touch. Adam pushed deeper, slipping a second finger into me. I arched again, deepening our kiss as his stretched, scissored and worked me open so slowly and sweetly.

"Adam, please, stop teasing…" I whimpered quietly as Adam pulled away from our kiss. He'd successfully shoved four fingers into me, fisting me slow and hard. The pace was torturous, but it was firm and nerve-tingling. Adam pressed a kiss to my lips again, thrusting his hand deep and nudging that spot inside of me, making me arch before he removed them.

"Adam, baby, please…" I said softly, my fingers tightening in his hair, bringing him closer to me. Adam smiled softly, kissing my cheek gently, reaching up and cupping my face tenderly in his hands.

"Drake, what did I tell you?" He whispered sweetly. I whimpered softly, dragging a kiss over his lips. I knew exactly what he was referring to, but this was on the verge of torturous for me. Adam had never been this slow, this sweet with me.

"I know, I know… You're taking care of me… Fuck, Adam, you're killing me…" I whined softly, kissing him again. Adam moaned softly, his tongue slipping out to taste mine in a brief swipe before he pulled away.

"I'm killing you?" He suggested, smiling slightly, leaving a kiss against my jaw. I moaned quietly, writhing beneath him. I lifted my hips, grinding briefly into his thigh, whining.

"Adam, please… Stop talking and just.." I groaned, grinding into him again. My hand curled around the back of his neck, pulling him down into a sloppy kiss. Adam moaned into my lips, his hands palming my face tenderly. He shifted above me, pushing my thighs apart with his knees before nestling between them, pressing into me. I gasped against his lips, kissing him hard as I wrapped my legs around his waist, forcing him to slide in deep in one, swift and hard thrust.

Stars danced over my vision, my eyes rolling into the back of my head as I moaned softly. Adam's hands dropped from my face and curled around my hips, holding me steady before letting me adjust to the sudden change. My hands fell away from his hair, falling to my sides again as Adam bent his head, kissing my lips so tender and brief that I wasn't sure if he really kissed me at all.

He thrust his hips once, rocking inside of me. I gasped quietly, moaning as the burn of pain and stretching began to subside to something richer, sweeter and far more pleasurable. My head lolled to the side, eyes closed and my mouth open in soft, almost silent moans. Shivers were firing up and down my body at electrifying rates, leaving me chilled yet burning.

"Adam…" I moaned under my breath as Adam rocked into me again, nudging that spot inside of me. My back curved, lifting off of the bed slightly as he rocked into it again. I bit down on my bottom lip, my hands curling and fisting the blankets slightly, whimpers of pleasure filling the confines of the wide and open chamber. They were bouncing off the walls, coming back in distant echo.

Adam groaned quietly, pressing kisses to the side of my neck and along my collarbones as he pushed and pulled slowly, moving so slow… I wanted to pull his hair and have him fuck me hard, but something was whispering into my ear that, even if I offered myself on a silver platter, open and begging like a whore, he'd still take me slow.

But I couldn't complain… These slow thrusts were pulsing, hitting deeper, lingering longer. My body was burning from my head to my toes, sweat sliding off of my skin as Adam nipped the side of my throat, licking the saltiness of my sweat away. I moaned again, eyes squeezed shut in pleasure, mouth open slightly. Adam trailed his tongue along my lower lip before he kissed me sweetly, thrusting into me again.

My hands came up around his neck as he kissed me, my legs tightening, pulling him deeper and holding him there for a moment, forcing that spot right up into my lungs. Each breath had me moaning and shaking, quietly begging for more. Adam pecked my lips before kissing my neck again, pulling out enough to slam back in, so slow and so hard. I arched, my chest flush against his, our sweat mingling together between our bodies.

"Adam…" I moaned quietly as Adam shifted, wrapping his arms around my waist as he sat, briefly on his knees before falling onto his back, still buried inside of me. Gravity forced me down farther on him, sending him deeper. My back arched against his knees, which were drawn up like supports behind me, his hands on my hips. I cried out, my hands palming over his and I moved against him, moaning gently.

Adam arched slightly, his head tilted back as he thrust up into me, hitting my prostate and making me wail. This angle was always so perfect, so sensual and memorable. I bit down on my bottom lip, whining softly as Adam's slow pace picked up a little, his thrusts harder. By no means was this in the pace of our more animalistic and rough love making, but it was harder and, slightly, faster than it was before.

I moaned behind my teeth, which were hooked into my lip, chewing on it till, I was sure, it was bruised. But I didn't care. There was something so erotic about the way Adam was fucking me. It was different than the first few times, those years ago, when he was being gently. And it sure as hell was different than some of our more intense and hard nights, but… I liked this. No, I loved this… I loved him…

"Baby…" Adam whispered, his hand sliding off of my hip and curling around my member. I bucked into his hand, throwing off the rhythm for a second before melting back into it, thrusting into his hand in time with his own thrusts into me, the dual sensations pulling a never-ending string of moans and whines from my lips.

"Adam, I.. I'm— I'm gon'… Fuck, fuck! Adam, more.. more, more, more, fuck, please…" I whimpered, panting for breath as Adam grunted, thrusting harder, a little faster, twisting his wrist and swiping his thumb over the slit. I arched deeply, crying out, my fingers sliding between the spaces of his on my hip. I reached up, palming my other hand over his on my erection, tightening the pressure, controlling his movements.

It was like we were one person. In total control of one another, moaning at the same time, breathing together, loving together. Our hands tightened around my hand when my body tightened around Adam. Our heads fell back, our throats growling with moans and I barely noticed it when Adam began to thrust faster, dipping less from sensual and more into crazed. I was only aware of hearing him moaning my name and his hand tightening around my member.

"Adam… Adam! Adam, I'm… I'm…" I whined softly, panting and moaning quietly as Adam slammed into me over and over, hitting my prostate and making my heart skip beats with eat pulse. His hand tightened, thumb swiping over and over on my slit, making me scream.

"_Adam!_" My back arched, my body rigid for a moment as I came. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't see. I couldn't think. But my nerves were on fire and I could feel the exact moment were Adam shuddered, coming into me. I could feel the surge of him pulsing, hot and sticky inside of me, coating me. I could feel him moaning, though I couldn't hear it. I panted softly, blinking, seeing only white as I fell forward, my face buried into Adam's neck.

His arms wound around my waist as he pulled out, tugging a soft whine from my lips as he did so. I blinked repeatedly, trying to see, but found myself still unable. Adam rolled me onto my back, cleaning me off before pulling me into his arms, pressing kisses to my hair as my sense of hearing and sight gradually came back to me.

"You okay, baby?" He asked quietly, touching my face with the tips of my fingers. I blinked again, smiling softly before leaving a kiss to those fingers.

"Yes… That..was incredible.." I told him, looking up at him with a tired smile on my face. He grinned back, leaning down and kissing me sweetly. I moaned, unwilling to move despite wanting to pull him closer to me. There was little to no tongue, and the kiss was short, gentle, leaving me smiling wider.

"I'm glad.. I tried my damndest to keep myself from just bending you over and fucking you senseless…" He admitted, and I felt my face heat up with a blush. He smiled, kissing my cheek gently.

"As much as I love you fucking me senseless… I really liked this.." I said softly. Adam blinked once, a smile tugging at his lips and I knew that he was pleased not only with himself for doing good but for the fact that I admitted that I enjoyed it. Adam knew me. When it came to sex, I liked it rough and I liked it fast; dirty, even. And to know that I could also like— well, more like love— slow and passionate, that just opened up doors upon doors of opportunities for us.

"Good… I'm so happy you enjoy it," he whispered, kissing my hairline, "My beautiful baby… All mine," I smiled, blushing.

"Yours…" I whispered, exhaustion washing over my body.


	13. Thousands Will Enter

**Chapter Twelve: Thousands Will Enter, Few (if any) Will Win  
Tommy's POV**

The wedding was beautiful. All of the decorations were gorgeous. The music was orgasmic and the food was to die for. Adam was shining as always but Drake? Drake stole the show. I never knew men could be _that_ beautiful. Dolling him up for his wedding was nothing compared to actually seeing him in his wedding. He outshined Adam like he was commoner. He truly was a God and today he proved it.

I felt like crying because in all of Drake's beauty, I couldn't have him. He was completely and solely Adam's now and I didn't want to face that. I knew I would have to but, for tonight, I enjoyed the beautiful smile that continuously spread itself across Drake's face. I enjoyed stealing him away from his groom long enough to share a wonderful dance with him. I enjoyed the food and socializing with wonderful people. Spending most of my time with Drake's family and Cassidy. When I didn't think about what tonight truly represented I had a good time.

But as the day melted into dusk and then into the inky blackness of night, I lost my will to party. Drake and Adam disappeared into the palace to, no doubt, spend the rest of their wedding night growing to know each other even more intimately. It was hard to imagine that they could even accomplish that, but I was positive that's what they were doing. Even without Drake and Adam, the party continued. Let me just tell you, Egyptians knew how to fucking party.

After a while, I just wasn't feeling it anymore. I didn't want to interact with anyone. I didn't want to dance and I didn't want to eat anymore food. I was sitting on the backside of the fountain, starring out at the rest of the garden. "Hey," Amelia said softly, coming up to sit beside me. I was a little shocked but I smiled at her, giving her as much attention as I could manage.

"Hey," I said to her, smiling faintly. She smiled back before frowning just a little..

"Why are you over here all by yourself? Why aren't you out partying with the rest of us?" she asked, looking like she wanted to put a hand on my shoulder but was too afraid to. Drake's family had gotten a lot of respect since coming to live in the palace, but most of them were still intimidated by me.

"I'm…" I sighed. Part of it was because I was slowly slipping into depression but another part was because I was actually not feeling too great. My head was beginning to pound and my stomach, just a little too full, was beginning to twist and cramp. "I'm just not feeling too well…" I told her, deciding to only be half truthful with her.

She frowned a little. "You do look… a little pale…" she said, reaching out to place a hand against my forehead. Her hand was cold to my burning flesh and I wondered if I felt just as hot to her. "You're burning up, honey…" she whispered, her lips pulling down into a tighter frown.

"Really?" I asked, sighing softly and running my fingers through my fringe of hair.

"Yeah…" she whispered, her hand falling away from my face. "Maybe you should go inside and get some rest?" he asked. "Staying out in the cold probably isn't helping you once…"

I frowned, nodding something. "Yeah… I suppose I probably should," I said, smiling softly in Drake's sister's direction. She was a beautiful girl. She almost made me wish that I was into pussy more than I really was… "Thank you, Amelia," I added, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. I move to stand up but she gripped my arm firmly, keeping me from walking away from her.

"Tommy?" she asked quietly. I looked back at her, meeting her bright blue eyes. She looked just like Drake… Just with longer hair and more curves. "There's more than just not feeling good, isn't there?" she asked, frowning at me. "Is it… my brother?" I felt my face heat up a little and not from fever.

"W-what do you mean?" I asked quietly, frowning some. "About Drake, you mean?"

"Drake, yes…" she whispered. "I see the way you look at him…" Fuck. "And knowing your relationship with him, after Pharaoh- Adam- so kindly told us that you and Drake were his pleasure servants… You and Drake have, obviously, been intimate with one another. It's hard not to develop feelings for something you are repeatedly exposed to… I know that a little more than I should but that's besides the point…" She looked away, a soft blush rushing across her cheeks, before looking back at me. "You love my brother, don't you?"

Again, I blushed like wildfire. "Yes…" I whispered softly. "I am in love with him but he's Adam's… Ever since the day he was brought here, he's been Adam. That man stole Drake's heart right out of his chest. I can't really blame Drake for falling in love with Adam but I'm…" I bit my lip hard enough to bruise it. "I'm really jealous of Adam. He's my friend and I hate feeling like this towards him but I'm so jealous that he gets to have your brother forever." It felt way too good to finally get all of this off of my chest.

She smiled slightly. "Drake tends to do that to a lot of people," she said softly. "He never noticed it when he lived at home with us, but boys and girls alike were always all over him. I know he probably didn't even have his first kiss until he came here but dozens of people wanted the chance to be his first…" she whispered. My heart clenched in my chest because, like all of the people that had fallen for Drake without him realizing it, I wasn't allowed to have him. "I know he's a great guy and I can see the love for him in your eyes but… Tommy, you have to believe that there is someone else out there that will give you all of their love."

"I know… I know I have to keep thinking that I'll find someone but it's so hard when my thoughts never drift away from him…" I admitted. Now that one tiny thing about my feelings for Drake to someone, everything was spilling out. It felt great to get everything off of my chest but my headache was getting worse and worse. "I can't ever get him off my mind. He even invades all of my dreams and now he's married… to the Pharaoh of Egypt…"

She bit her lip for a moment. "Have you ever told Drake how you felt?" she asked.

"Yeah…" I said. She seemed really shocked. "And he always said that he loved me too but his love for Adam was just more than his love for me. Drake and I are as close as two people can be, in friendship, but Adam somehow always had control of his heart. Or maybe he just has control of everyone else's heart and Adam and I are just his victims…" She laughed softly, shaking her head.

"Drake does seem to do that to people…" she mused, a light smirk playing on her lips. "I was really shocked when we were brought here because he was getting married. He always seemed like the boy who would unintentionally make people's hearts ache but never choose to be with someone. I know you're in pain right now, Tommy, but Drake does love you. He's told me how important you are to him. He feels bad about hurting you… I know he does, but…"

"I don't blame him for marrying Adam. I always thought I would fall in love with Adam but that feeling never came. Not until Drake showed up in the palace. Then I crashed hard and so did Adam…" I said, sounding kind of miserable and pathetic. If I was in Amelia's position, I probably would have punched myself in the face. "I don't blame him at all, I just don't know how to handle him, truly, belonging to Adam forever. I don't know how to stop thinking about Drake…" _Not to mention having sex with Drake._

Amelia leaned forward, pressing her lips to my burning forehead. "I know you love him but the best thing to do is continue being his closest friend. Drake needs you whether you believe that or not. Love with come for you again, sooner than you expect, I'm sure. For now? Go inside and lay down. Get some rest and get better because you look really sick. Get yourself a good night's sleep and don't worry about anything for now."

I smiled slightly, nodding at her. "Thanks, Amelia… I know listening to me whining was probably not the most fun thing in the world, but it helped a lot," I told her.

"You're welcome, Tommy. Now go off to bed before you fall asleep right here," she said in a do-it-or-else tone. I chuckled and stood up slowly. The area around me began to spin and closing my eyes only made it worse. The first couple of steps made me feel like I was going to tumble into the earth and just lay there. I wasn't entirely sure I was going to be able to make it all the way back to my room by myself but I didn't want to ruin everyone else's good time by asking for help.

I didn't even make it to the doors leading back into the palace before Cassidy was at my side. "Are you alright, Tommy?" he asked, snaking an arm around my waist. I was thankful for it, more so then I first realized. I leaned into him, using him as a support to my fatigued being.

"I'm not feeling too hot and I just want to go lay down," I told him, laying my head against his shoulder. Cassidy sighed, holding me close to him as he pulled me into the palace and down the winding and twists halls towards my chambers.

"Do you want me to tell Adam and Drake?" he asked, his hands rubbing my upper arms gently in attempts to sooth me.

"No, Cass, no. Please don't tell them. Not tonight anyone. I just haven't been sleeping well and I just need to get a good night's sleep," I told him. "Besides, it's their wedding night. Don't interrupt the passionate love making you know they're doing right now just because I have a headache," I added. Cassidy sighed but nodded. The rest of the walk seemed to take forever. It made me think back to the second day Drake was here. After losing his virginity and how long it took to walk him down to the bathrooms because he was in so much pain.

Eventually my bedroom came into view and Cassidy pulled me over to the door, pushing it open. He took me over to my bed and pushed me into it. "Take your shirt off," he instructed. I gave him a strange look and he merely rolled his eyes. "You're burning up, Tommy and you need to cool down. I'm going to get you a cool washcloth for your forehead and some medicine." I smiled softly at him as he turned away from me. His eyes lingered on Drake's mural for a moment. Even though I saw it every day, it's beauty still caught me off guard. It did that to almost everyone who saw it…

Just another way Drake was forever imprinted onto my brain.

I sighed deeply, stripping out of my shirt and trousers. I still felt incredibly hot despite the cool air rushing over my bare skin. Whatever I was sick with, I knew it wasn't just fatigue, but I didn't want to tell anyone that, especially not on Drake and Adam's wedding night! Drake and Adam deserved one night all to themselves without them worrying about me. I was not about to ruin their special night because I was fighting a cold or something.

Some time passed before Cassidy came back into my room. I was half asleep, my heat throbbing right behind my eyes. "Tommy?" Cassidy whispered, walking over to me.

I groaned, shaking my head softly. "Hm?" I mumbled. He had me sit up slowly.

"Take these," he whispered, pressing a couple of pills to my lips. "Open." I obeyed, opening my lips enough to take the pills in. He raised a glass of water to my lips and I took a swallow, taking the pills easily getting them down. Cassidy pushed me back into the mattress. He placed a cold, moist wash cloth over my forehead and kissed my cheek gently. "Rest. I'll come check on you in the morning and if you aren't doing any better, I'm telling Adam and Drake and you are going to see a doctor." I whined but didn't argue with him. There wasn't a point to arguing with him because I knew I wasn't going to win the fight either way and I was slipping over the edge of exhaustion.


	14. When All The Lights Go Out

**Chapter Thirteen: When All The Lights Go Out Across These City Streets**

**Adam's POV**

I woke up the next morning, a sense of euphoria blanketing over my body, with Drake lazily running his fingers through my hair. I blinked once, seeing the faint glow of his skin as the light came in through the windows, making his hair shine and his body radiate happiness. I smiled softly at him when he bent his head, pressing his lips to mine in a gently kiss. The moan was unstoppable, of course. But Drake didn't seem to mind as we pulled away, his fingers continuing to play with my hair.

"Morning, love," he whispered quietly, smiling at me. I smiled back, tiredly, reaching up to touch his cheek with my fingertips. He tilted his head into the touch, purring quietly like he was a cat. My pretty kitty…

"Morning," I said back, my voice soft and gentle. Drake's eyes were glistening with happiness as they flickered back and forth between mine. He curled up beside me again, tucking his head under my chin, his arms wrapping themselves around my waist. I shifted, curling one arm around him, the other reaching up to run gently through his hair.

I turned my head, pressing a tender kiss to his forehead as my fingers twisted themselves through his hair, the pads sliding against the silky, chocolate threads. Drake shifted, placing a palm against my chest, resting it right over my heart. I could feel it beating into his hand, bouncing back. Steady, strong and in so much love it wasn't even really funny. I smiled slightly to myself.

"So why're you up so early, baby?" I asked him quietly, letting my eyes slip shut out of relaxation. I'd expected Drake to sleep in a little longer. Sure, our love making hadn't been that rough last night, but sex was still a tender action that could leave, at least, a little stiffness. But he was up before me— which was rare in and of itself— and I was just curious as to why.

"Hmm?" Drake mused, tilting his head to look up at me, "Oh… Well…" He sighed heavily, shifting his head a little so that he was tucked back under my chin, just in the curve of my throat, "I just… I don't know. I woke up with these mixed feelings. On the one hand I was incredibly happy and just.. feeling amazing. I mean, we're _married_ now, and last night was..incredible," I blushed deeply and smiled, suddenly thankful that Drake wasn't looking up at me anymore to see it.

"But.. I had this feeling of worry, or dread. Like, there's something wrong, but I'm too busy being happy to really care about it, or something," he said, and my smile began to fade away. Why would Drake feel worried? Unless—

"Tommy?" I suggested, my voice soft. Almost hesitant at the idea of bringing him up. Tommy had been looking sickly for the past couple of weeks, and that made me nervous. Nervous because I'd seen that before. That gradual fatigue that just worsened and worsened, the paleness in the skin. The lack of an appetite and sluggish movements. All of that had happened to Alexander…

Oh, Ra, was Tommy falling ill with fever? Did this mean that another wave was going to pass through, claiming the lives of more of my people? More of those I cared about? I swallowed the lump in my throat, holding Drake tightly to my chest while trying to appear and seem as calm and relaxed as possible. But I couldn't be relaxed, wondering if Tommy was sick.

"Y-yeah… You've seen him, Adam. He doesn't look good. He hasn't been looking or feeling well for the past couple of weeks…" Drake commented quietly. I could feel his heart beating against my side; it was faster than normal, frantic. I bit down on my bottom lip, turning my head to kiss his forehead.

"I know, baby. I've been worried about him, too. But he always claims that he's fine, that he's just tired. But I don't think that he's only _just_ tired, you know? There's something more to it." I said, slowly rubbing Drake's back, "It's obvious that he's sick, or, getting sick." I finished, licking my lips. Drake shivered slightly against my side at the idea of Tommy being ill.

"Is… is it a fever?" He asked quietly, lifting his head to look up at me. I sighed softly, resting my cheek against his forehead. I didn't like the idea. In fact, I hated the idea. I hated it because I was afraid. Well, that was an understatement. I was terrified. Tommy wasn't Alexander in my heart, but he was still close to me. He was my best friend. And I knew that Drake loved him dearly. And, if Tommy had a fever…

"I hope not, Drake… I hope not." I told him, pressing kiss to his forehead again. Drake let out a long heavy breath, curling his arms tightly around me like I was the last thing left in this life. Part of me did not wish it, but I imagined that, without his family and without Tommy, I would be…

And for how long, truly? How long would I have left in this life before going on into the After? How long until I abandoned Drake for Death and the Next. How long… I sighed quietly, letting my eyes slip shut. I tried to shove away the thoughts of passing on and leaving Drake, but knowing that Tommy was sick made me fear my own passing. It made me fear of what would become of Drake if I were to leave too soon…

No, I couldn't think like that. There was no sense in it, and I mentally shook my head before kissing Drake's hair. He tilted his head up, looking at me as I opened my eyes. I reached up, touching his cheek gently with the pads of my fingertips. He leaned into the caress, smiling warmly at me before I bent my head, kissing him sweetly.

"I want to see him," Drake whispered against my lips, and my hand froze in mid-cup of his face. I frowned for a brief moment before understanding that it was Tommy he wished to see. I licked my lips, nodding once.

Getting out of bed was a bit of a chore, considering the warmth and comfort of our embrace as well as Drake's sore body. Sure, I'd been gentler with him last night than most other times, but he was sore in different, new areas. Places that were familiar to him but not worked to the extent of others. But we bathed and dressed, wearing similar trousers and vests. Drake's tattoos were still dark and beautiful in contrast to his skin, his hair pulled into its lopsided ponytail.

I bent my head, kissing his lips quickly, my hair falling around my face. It'd gotten longer over the years, hanging in shaggy waves around my chin, just grazing my shoulders. I was due for a trim, as was Drake. But we never seemed to take the time to get it done. Drake moaned quietly, smiling softly as a blush crept over his skin. I took his hand in mine, pulling him across the stone flooring of our chamber, sandals slapping sweetly as I pushed open the door, stepping out into the bright, early morning.

There were a few people wandering about; laundry boys and girls tending to linens, women and children carrying food to kitchens and back to their own chambers for breakfasts or snacks. Each as they passed, Drake and I gave them. Each returned with a warm, comforting grin of their own and, perhaps, for various reasons.

My arm was curled around Drake's waist, holding him close to me as we walked. His was around mine, partially, his hand pressed flat against the small of my back, his head leaning slightly into my shoulder. I smiled slightly down at him, turning a corner as the sun beat through the archways of the hall, pouring in and illuminating the paintings and stories of eras past.

We turned another corner, and I could see the door to Tommy's room down near the end of the hallway. My heart skipped a beat in my chest in anticipation. Would he be better? Would he have gotten worse? I bit down lightly on my bottom lip as Drake's arm tensed around me. I didn't want to believe that Tommy had gotten any worse than last night, or the past few days, but was it not possible? What if he really did have the fever that Alex had…

Drake and I stopped at his door, both of us hesitant to even touch it, let alone go inside. But Drake had wanted to see Tommy, to check on him and see how he was doing, even if he wasn't any better. I turned, inhaling slowly as I looked down at Drake. His face was pale and he looked fearful and worried. I couldn't blame him in the least.

He reached forward, curling his hand at first before stopping, inches from knocking. He licked his lips, dropping his hand and grabbed the door handle, pushing it open. I let go of him as he stepped forward into Tommy's room. I felt myself take a breath, but I did not let it out as the door swung open wide. That breath, though, did not stay in my chest long…

The room was well lit because of the windows, the walls and floors glowing, Drake's painting like a work of the Gods. It should've been peaceful. It should have been lively. But it wasn't. It wasn't because when I looked towards the bed and saw Tommy, my heart plummeted through my feet.

He looked like Death.

Tommy's eyes looked, somewhat, sunken into his head, his face paler than normal. His eyelids were shadowed, bruised looking, barely open. His hair was in a sprawled mess around his face, the blanket curled lazily around his hips. He didn't look to be wearing anything, and, though, normally, the idea of Tommy being naked would excite me, today it didn't. He looked thin, I noticed. Before I'd never really paid attention because his clothes were loose enough that I couldn't tell. But seeing him so weak and frail made me cringe.

Tommy's head, itself, didn't move, but his eyes wandered slowly to us, looking dead and weak. Drake gasped beside me before rushing to Tommy's bedside, sitting down next to the blond. I watched Drake reach forward to push Tommy's hair out of his face, the normally-golden locks appearing almost grayish. But maybe that was my imagination…

"Tommy, baby…" Drake whispered, caressing the blond's cheeks tenderly with his artistic hands. Tommy remained still, trying to keep his eyes open, but he seemed unable. He looked, though, like he wanted to move and reach for Drake…

"Drake.." he whispered quietly, his brown eyes dull. I swallowed the lump in my throat, feeling my heart clench in my chest. Drake inhaled slowly, his face pained and tears glistening in his eyes. My heart skipped a beat and I bit down on my bottom lip. Tommy just looked so weak and tired..

"Drake..don't cry…" Tommy whispered quietly, his voice trembling softly. Drake whimpered softly, running his fingers through Tommy's hair gently as I walked over towards them, kneeling down beside Tommy. His eyes shifted to mine, slow and tired.

"Adam.." I smiled weakly, feeling my throat close up as I reached over to feel his forehead; it was scalding hot. I whimpered quietly. Despite his body heat, there showed no signs of it breaking. I inhaled slowly, feeling my heart beginning to break as I leaned forward, kissing his forehead quickly.

"I'll be back in a moment," I whispered, standing to my feet and turning on my heel, walking out of the room. I wanted to stop and marvel at the mural, but I just couldn't do it. I needed to get out of the room before I started to cry. I needed to find Cassidy, anybody, to call a doctor. Tommy needed to get better. I wasn't going to stand by and watch him slip through mine and Drake's hands like Alex…


	15. Sing About Everyone That You Left Behind

**Chapter Fourteen: Sing About Everyone That You Left Behind  
Drake's POV**

I couldn't believe that I hadn't been aware of Tommy getting so sick earlier. I was so wrapped up in planning a wedding and being happy with Adam and, effectively, I had completely ignored my best friend. Seeing Tommy so white made me think of Anna's tiny corpse and my heart pushed its way up my throat, making me feel like I couldn't breathe.

Tommy couldn't die. It was a simple as that.

Anna was enough loss for one life time. I couldn't lose Tommy, too…

Tears sprung up into my eyes before I could even blink twice. Adam said he would be right back, but I wasn't really paying any attention. While I was making hot, passionate love with my new husband, my best friend was slipping into stages of sickness he shouldn't have reached. He should have gotten help when he first started feeling off… But he told me he was fine… He swore he was fine. Was he just lying to make sure my happiness wasn't disrupted? Damn it, Tommy, fuck!

Tommy kept telling me not to cry, but just hearing how hoarse he was made the tears come faster. I felt like I couldn't breathe, but I was almost positive that I was being a little too dramatic on that part. Tommy wasn't dead! He just needed a doctor, right? Somebody please say right…

But the way Adam had looked at Tommy… That look told me everything I didn't want to imagine. Adam had seen this before. Too many times, if his stories were true. I highly doubted Adam would have lied to me about his family and his former lover dying, so that left me with one conclusion: Tommy was falling ill with the fever that killed Adam's mother, little brother and lover. Did that really mean that Tommy was going to die, too?

I couldn't think about that. Thinking about Tommy dying was almost as horrible as thinking about Adam dying. I knew I would probably outlive them both, considering our age differences, but I wasn't ready to start losing everyone I cared about! And, not to fucking mention, I was way too fucking young to be a widower. Just throwing that out there.

"Drake… Drake, please, stop crying…" Tommy muttered pathetically, wiping my flowing tears away with the calloused pads of his fingers. His gesture wasn't as strong and confident as it normally would have been. His illness was roaming to all regions of his worn body.

"Don't tell me not to cry. If I had been paying more attention, we could have gotten you a doctor… medication… anything to stop this early on…" I whimpered. I was sitting with my legs pulled up onto the bed, next to Tommy and I was hovering just slightly over him. He stared up at me with his giant, chocolate eyes. They didn't have the spark they used to… and that scared me even more. What if he was getting sick because of me? Because of my marrying Adam? I know it doesn't really sound logical but when you lose your will to do something, like living, your body is much more susceptible to disease and ailments. What if marrying Adam was like the final straw for Tommy?

"This isn't your fault, baby…" he said, his eyes staring straight into mine. I couldn't hold his gaze. I felt too guilty for not seeing how sick he was before now. I would be the first to admit that I wasn't man enough to keep his gaze. Apparently Tommy didn't like that though. "Drake," he said sternly, despite his pathetic state. "Look at me, right now." I bit my lip, but I couldn't deny him, so I looked back.

"Tommy…" I began, but he shushed me almost immediately.

"I'm sick because of a virus, Drake. I was the one who was ignoring it, not you. I didn't want to believe I was getting sick, so I ignored it. This is completely my fault," he whispered, yet he sounded so strong. "Please stop crying. I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

New tears stung my eyes and rained down my slight-but-not-really tan. "Don't make promises you can't keep, damn it!" I exclaimed, biting my lip hard enough to bruise on contact. "What am I supposed to do if you aren't okay?" You know something? I hate when people try to make crying something beautiful because crying is not fucking beautiful at all. Fluids stream from your eyes and your nose and it isn't a fucking beautiful sight! Sobbing in front of someone was not a beautiful sight either and I didn't want Tommy to see my like this, but I couldn't stop it. I wanted to leave and cry alone or into Adam's arms, but I couldn't leave Tommy…

A voice in the back of my mind told me that I shouldn't even be around Tommy. He had a fever that could kill and it was contagious. What if it spread to me? And what if I didn't notice that for a while and it spread to Adam? Then I would be responsible for ending myself and my husband, who just happened to be the king of Egypt.

Most of my heart and brain decided that I simply didn't care if I got sick to. I needed to be with Tommy, now, because I wasn't there for him before… I was too caught up in the fact that I was getting married and that I was happy. What else had I missed over the last few weeks that normally would have been extremely important for me to know?

"Drake, I wouldn't lie to you, would I?" he asked quietly, cupping my soaked cheek in one hand. Usually when he touched me, I could feel a warm, sizzling spark that told me how much he loved being with me. Today there was no spark. "Would I?" he repeated, slightly louder, when I didn't answer.

"If you thought you were protecting me? Yes, I believe you would…" I whispered back. "You've always had a thing about protecting me and… kind of treating me like a child…" I added, turning my head to nuzzle my face into his hand.

He smiled weakly and he tried to pushed himself up but I held him down, running my fingers through his sticky hair. He looked pained but he understood my silent message. I just wanted him to recover and over exerting himself was not going to get that accomplished. "I can't help but treat you like a baby. You're too precious to take chances with…" Tommy said, coughing some. I frowned, forcing myself not to cringe away from the infectious breath.

"Tommy… That's ridiculous…" I whispered, new tears springing up into my eyes.

"No it isn't, Drake," he started, his eyes hard and serious, yet full of love and compassion. Only minutes ago his chocolate eyes were hard, cold and almost unfeeling but now they were the melted pools that I always adored. "Look around you. You don't realize what an impact you have because you're modest. You were raised that way." He paused to take a few, even and deep breaths. "Drake, everyone in this palace loves you. Adam is absolutely nuts about you. He can't ever stop thinking about you. Neither can I…"

"Tom-" He was determined not to let me get a word in edge wise.

"But it isn't just Adam and I, Drake. It's Cassidy, your family, servants who hardly know who you are. You brighten everyone's day when you're in a good mood. And, when you're crying like this-" he wiped my tears away again. "-it brings just a little more sadness to an already sad situation. You are too precious to gamble with. I'd rather treat you like a baby until your ninety than let something bad happened to you."

I stared at him in disbelief. He had just, effectively, told me that I was more important than a lot of people but surely that couldn't be true… "I…" He smiled up at me again and, for a moment, he looked healthy.

"You shouldn't even be in here, Drake. Being in here is going to expose you to whatever illness I've come down with. I don't want you getting sick too, especially not right after your wedding," he said, shooing me away. "I'll baby you even when I'm stuck in bed. I swear to it," he told me.

"Well, that's too damned bad for you because I'm not going anywhere," I replied, wiping my remaining tears away with the heels of my palms. "See, yesterday, when I gave myself to Adam I, basically, became Queen of Egypt." That sounded fucking weird. I do have a penis, for those of you who don't believe that. "And as such, I don't have to listen to a damned thing you say. Don't make me hold that over you, Tommy. I don't want to, but I will…"

"Adam won't like you being with me, Drake. Me being sick is bad enough. If you get sick? Adam won't have any clue on how to function. He'd, basically, not do anything until you got better and, if you didn't get better… He wouldn't recover from it. He lost a lover once. If he loses you, there won't be anything else left for him." I blinked, staring wide-eyed at my friend. Would Adam actually give up on life if he lost me like he lost Alexander? Part of me thought that was completely absurd but the majority of my reason told me that Tommy was one-hundred percent correct.

"Look, Tommy, I should have been paying more attention to you over the last few weeks. I was just so wrapped up in becoming the perfect… bride… that I didn't really think about anything else and that was so selfish of me. I don't want to leave you when you're in so much pain already," I said to him, taking one of his hands firmly into mine. "And Adam can't tell me what to do. He's not my master anymore."

Tommy's eyes swelled with moisture and, for a moment, I thought I had said something that upset him. He was smiling though, so he couldn't have really been that upset. "I'd never forgive myself if you got sick too, Drake…" he whispered, a couple of tears spilling over the rims of his darkened lids. "I'd feel so guilty."

"And I feel guilty right _now_. Tommy, I'm not going anywhere when you need me." I ran the fingers of my free hand through Tommy's grayish-dull locks, resting my head against his scorching forehead. He must have had a fever of one-hundred four, at the very least. "I'm not going anywhere and, even if you want to baby me, you don't have the means to right now."

A slight blush rushed over Tommy's paper white cheeks. "You really are sent from a better world, aren't you?" he whispered, smiling as brightly as a person as ill as he was could possibly manage. "You'd really risk getting yourself sick just to be here with me?" he asked.

"Tommy, I would give my life for you, just like you would for me," I replied, my eyes softening to what many people described as "the calm before the storm". That didn't make any sense to me. I think some people in the palace tried to make me seem scarier than I really was. In reality, I wasn't terrifying at all. I was five foot eight and skinny as fuck. Who was I going to beat up? Honestly?

"But I'd give my life for you because of how important you are… How much I love you," he whispered, his chapped lips pulling apart as if they had begun to fuse together. I frowned, petting his hair again.

"And I would die for you for the exact same reasons, Tommy," I muttered, smiling as much as I could manage in a situation like this one. "Don't start making yourself out to be worthless. Remember, I will smite you." He laughed but it erupted into a mini coughing fit.

I frowned, closing my eyes for a moment. I wanted to think that if I hadn't gotten sick from Tommy yet, that I just wasn't going to, but I hadn't been spending much time with Tommy lately and the truth was, I could very well contract this fever. There was no doubt in my mind that Tommy was worth it, but what about Adam? What would happen to him if I really did fall ill?

"I love you, Drake…" Tommy whispered once his coughing had died down and he had time to recover somewhat.

I bit my lip, turning my attention back to the suffering blond. "I love you too, Tommy. So much…" I whispered. Not a moment later, Adam walked through the door with Cassidy, a servant holding a few wash clothes and a bowl of water, and a man who I assumed to be a doctor.

Adam walked over to the side of the bed and took my hands, pulling me away from the bed so the doctor and servant boy could get to Tommy efficiently. I frowned, not wanting to leave him, but Adam was pulling me towards the door. I shot Tommy and apologetic look that told him I would be back soon, but I wasn't sure if he saw me.

Once we were in the corridor and a little ways away from the room, Adam stopped walking and gently pushed me into the wall. "You know this is hurting me as much as it's hurting you," he began, a tight frown stretching his lips southward. "I hate seeing Tommy like this, but the fact of the matter is that he is sick and I'm almost positive it's the same fever that my family and Alexander fell ill with…"

"I know, Adam," I said gently, staring up at him.

He sighed deeply, closing the distance between us. "Drake, honey… I know you love him and that you want to be with him to comfort him and help him, but I don't want you being around him when he's like this…" he said, almost hesitantly.

"Excuse me?" I asked, a sudden flare sparking. I stepped away from the wall, putting my hands on my hips. "Adam, you can't keep me from seeing Tommy. He can't just be alone all the time. Neither of us have been paying him any mind lately and that needs to change. I won't let him suffer by himself," I said sternly. "And you have no right to tell me I can and cannot do. You may be a Pharaoh, Adam, but I am not your servant anymore. We're _equals_ now."

Adam bit his lip. "I know that, Drake… I'm not commanding you to stay away from him, I'm asking you to. I…" He bit his lip again. "It's selfish, I know, but I can't watch you fall ill too. I cannot lose you, Drake, I can't."

"Is this about me, or is it about losing Alexander?" I asked him, frowning. His eyes widened slightly. "You need to understand that I'm _not_ Alexander. I'm not going to die like he did, Adam!"

"This has nothing to do with Alexander, Drake! I just want you to be safe because I love you too much to watch you suffer like Alex did. I love you too much to let the Afterlife take you away from me!" he cried, stepping forward to wrap his arms around me and pull me close. My hands fell away from my hips and I molded into Adam's frame. He was crying, at this point, I knew. Maybe I shouldn't have brought up Alexander, but I had to make my point…

"Adam…" I whispered, but he didn't seem to hear me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and stood on my toes to catch his lips with mine. He moaned quietly, kissing me back in a soft yet passionate kiss. "I love you baby. You know how much I love you. Yesterday was just a symbol of that, but I love Tommy too and he needs comfort if he's going to get better. I'll keep my visits as minimal as I can. I'll be careful, but I am not going to just not see him."

Adam's eyes seemed wary but he knew that I was going to win in the end. We didn't disagree on major issues too often, but when we did, I also won our "argument". "Alright Drake…. But you have to promise and swear to me right now that, if you start feeling sick or overly tired, you're going to tell me so we can get you checked out straight away."

I nodded softly, pressing my lips to his in one, gentle kiss. "I promise," I muttered against his lips.


	16. But I Just Can't Leave This Behind

**Chapter Fifteen: But I Just Can't Leave This Behind**

**Tommy's POV**

Watching Drake cry in front of me just broke my heart. It was worse than the time, years ago, where he thought Adam was just using him and he ran away. It was worse than when we found out that Brad had been hurting him. It was so much worse than anything that had already happened to that poor boy, and to know that I couldn't do anything to help him— that I could only lie in my bed and, barely, touch his cheek to comfort him— it killed me.

I'd never wanted him to be this upset, especially over me. I didn't want him to be so miserable the day after my wedding. I couldn't be sure why he and Adam would have wanted to come see me, anyway. I mean, sure, I wasn't in top condition last night, but they hadn't really seemed to notice. They were too enthralled with one another, not that I could blame them. And I had no right to, really, be jealous…

But I was. Even lying sick in bed, I was jealous. Perhaps a little upset, too, when Adam took Drake by his hands and pulled him out of the room. I saw Drake shoot an apologetic towards me, but it was only the last few moments before Adam, practically, dragged him out of the room. My heart clenched in my chest as I watched him go before the sight of the doctor, the serving boy and Cassidy filled my vision.

The boy set the water bowl and cloths down on a small table beside my bed, dipping the fabric into the water before ringing them out and setting them on my forehead. I groaned softly, greatly appreciating the cool wetness of the rag. My skin felt hot and tight, and not from any sort of sexual drive. This kind of warm discomfort was something that I didn't want. Something that wouldn't leave me alone.

The doctor sat down on the edge of the bed beside me, pressing the back of his hand to my cheek before pulling away to fumble with the items in his bag that he brought. He was elderly with graying black hair and a dark, burnt sort of tan. Thin wrinkles sat around his eyes and his mouth, a naturally set-in frown on his lips. He'd dealt with much misfortune in his life, I could tell.

He pulled out a small, metallic thermometer, slipping it between my lips for, perhaps, no more than a few seconds. With the technology advancements made in the last few decades or so, thermometers had become more accurate in their readings and only took a few moments to gather the necessary information for said readings. The thermometer beeped once and he plucked it from my lips, reading it carefully before sighing once.

The man pulled out a small bottle, uncapping it once before dipping the thermometer in it for a second, no doubt to sterilize it again before he closed everything up, pushing them back into the folds of his bag as he removed a syringe, clear bottle and a wide, metallic tube that clicked with things inside of it. I frowned softly, feeling my eyelids wanting to droop shut. I wanted to sleep.

"Well, son," he began, stabbing the needle of the syringe into the bottle, pulling the plunger back as he filled the barrel with a clear sort of liquid about half way. He set the syringe aside, reaching into his bag again, "you have a fever, that much is obvious. However, as to whether or not this is fatal, I still have yet to find out." He explain, pulling a thin strip of elastic out, wrapping it tightly above my elbow to cut off the blood flow to my arm and expose a vein.

A soft groan fell from my lips and I turned my head away, feeling my heart clench in my chest again. My mind thought back to when Adam was in here, earlier, and the look in his eyes that he got when he saw me. I knew that he was afraid that I was going to die. And I knew that he was afraid I'd get Drake sick, and that Drake would die. My heart seized again, skipping a beat at the idea of Drake getting sick.

Sure, he'd said he'd die for me, and that meant the world to me. But I had not lied when I said that, if he were to die, there would be nothing left for Adam. Adam had no more biological family. And if Drake died, I knew he would never find the will to love again. To lose one lover was bad enough, but to lose two? It would crush him. He would cease to be. Just as I would be if I survived this and Drake did not…

When the vein was prominent enough, the doctor lifted the syringe into his grasp, gently poking it into my skin before pressing the plunger down, injecting me with the medicine that he'd filled. The servant boy lifted the rag away from my forehead, refreshing it with cold water before setting it back onto my skin. Cassidy stood at the foot of the bed, watching over me as the doctor did his work.

"This is not the first call I've gotten, though, it _is_ the first one I've gotten for the palace. It seems that there is another outbreak in the city; lots of young children and elderly folk coming down with the fever. Some worse than others…" He mumbled softly, sterilizing the needle of the syringe before setting it back into his back. He rubbed the puncture mark of my arm once before taking up the metallic tube. He opened it quickly, dumping out a thin white pill into his palm.

He shifted the pill to his fingers, holding the tablet to my lips. I opened them slowly, letting him place it on my tongue as the servant boy handed him a glass of water. He slid his hand under my head, lifting it up enough that I could drink water without spilling it or choking on it. I swallowed the water and the pill, thankful for the cool refreshment for my throat.

The servant boy helped me shift up the bed a little, rearranging my pillows so that I reclined against them, lying less horizontally. I was still comfortable and I could still sleep, but I was in a better position to drink and eat now than I was before. I sighed heavily, wanting to just pass out. Between trying to comfort Drake and then having the doctor give me pills and injections, I was exhausted. I'd done close to nothing, but for my body, it was too much.

"Elijah," the doctor said, nodding to the boy, "is going to be your nurse, in a sense. He will come when you need your medication and he will check on you regularly. Do not worry about getting him sick. His immune system is strong, which is why I chose him to aid me." I slowly nodded once as Elijah changed his position to stand more where I could see him.

He was a good looking young man; rich, brown tan, dark green eyes and pitch black hair. His build was strong, toned and tall. He was wearing a pair of dark green trousers and a white shirt, nice compliments and yet beautiful contrasts to his skin. He bowed his head to me in respect, the shine of earrings dangling from his ears from behind the thick locks of his hair. I forced as much of a smile as I could, but it must've been pitiful, for his eyes wavered in pity and he looked away.

"I'll be back in a week to check on your condition. Elijah will keep me informed of your progress. Hopefully this will pass in the next month or so. Fevers have long life spans for our day and age, but I do believe you will be fine." I nodded once again, weak with exhaustion and worry.

What if the doctor was wrong? What if I didn't get better. Would I simply have to leave this world and leave Drake and Adam behind? Would the Gods truly be so selfish to claim me for their own? I sighed softly as the doctor packed up and left the room, Cassidy trailing behind after leaving a gentle kiss on my forehead. Elijah wiped my forehead and face with the cool rag, giving me another drink of water before bowing his head when I dismissed him. He turned on his heel, walking out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

I wasn't sure what was worse; being surrounded with people who were concerned about my health or being alone to my ill thoughts. No doubt part of my bitter mood was due to the fever, but I, truly, feared that this wasn't going to go away. I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to have to say goodbye to Drake. I couldn't. I cared about him too much and I knew that it was going to kill him if I… If I didn't make it. I had to.

But, I knew, that this fever was a deadly thing. It had claimed the lives of Adam's mother, brother and first, ever, lover. It had claimed the lives of hundreds of young children and elderly folk over the years of Adam's reign, with the occasional young to middle-aged adult. Despite all of the technological and medical advances Egypt had made in the past centuries, this fever was one that no one had the cure for. Some were lucky, others simply were not.

I closed my eyes, feeling my tears stinging from behind my eyelids before they spilled down my cheeks and into my hair. My heart was beating hard, weak with exhaustion of trying to keep my body functioning when this damned fever was working twice as fast with little effort to shut me down. My hands clenched into fists, the blankets balled up in my palms.

I hated this. I hated that I'd let myself get sick like this. Drake needed me to be strong and healthy. So did Adam. They needed me to be my old self again, and I'd let the walls of my health down long enough to catch this fever. I choked on a soft sob which led into a fit of coughing. My chest hurt and my throat burned from coughing, tears of pain leaking into those that were of frustration and sadness.

There was a knock at the door and I turned my head to see it swing open slightly, Drake poking his head inside. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of him, as it always did. But then it froze with worry. He shouldn't have come back because I was sick. He was just going to catch my condition himself and, if he were to become fatally ill, it would be my fault. And if I survived and not Drake, Adam would never forgive me…

"Tommy," Drake whispered softly, shutting the door and rushing to my side. He slipped up onto the bed, taking one of my hands in his as he reached forward, cupping my cheek in his hand, his thumb massaging the skin tenderly. I leaned my head into his touch, nuzzling it as much as I could before I looked up at him.

"You shouldn't be here," I whispered, my voice hoarse from coughing earlier. He shook his head, tears springing up into his eyes. I whimpered quietly, squeezing his hand lightly with mine. But it was all the force I could muster.

"Don't say that… I need to be here with you," he mumbled, his voice quivering with sobs as he ran his fingers through my hair softly. My eyes slid shut and I inhaled deeply, wishing I could fully enjoy the sensation of his presence so close to me. "I can't lose you, Tommy. I just can't…"

"Drake, baby…" I whispered, forcing my eyes open as Drake bent down, pressing his forehead against mine. He whimpered quietly, leaning forward and pecking my cheek with his lips. "Baby, please… You… You can't get sick. Adam needs you..more than I do.." I said, swallowing the pained lump in my throat and the urge to cough again. I felt hot and itchy, but I knew that Drake wasn't going to be the one to let me kick off the blankets.

"Tommy, _I _need _you_… You're my best friend and I _love you_…" He whimpered, squeezing my hand, his fingers laced tightly between mine. I inhaled as deeply as I could through my nose, being sure not to breathe on him. "I'm not going to stand by and watch you wither away when I know I can be here for you. I don't care that Adam says I shouldn't.." My eyes opened again and I stared him dead in the eye.

"Adam said you couldn't see me?" I questioned, and Drake nodded once. "He's right. Listen to him, Drake." I told him, and Drake looked like he wanted to hit me.

"Adam isn't my master. I've told you this. I'm his husband. Just because we're married doesn't mean he can give me orders anymore," Drake hissed softly, his forehead still flushed up against mine.

"Drake…" I began, "…when did Adam _ever_ give you a direct order that wasn't in reference to the imminent safety of your life?" I asked him, referring to the time when Brad had been hurting him and he hadn't said anything. Drake sighed softly, whimpering again as the tears began to roll down his face onto mine.

"I know, I know.. And he didn't.. really order me not to see you. He _requested_ it, but it's the same thing. He can't keep me from seeing you. He just can't. It's not fair of him to ask that of me, no matter how much he wants to keep me safe." Drake said sternly, and I shook my head.

"Baby, I can't afford getting you sick. If you fall ill, Adam will never forgive me. I'll never forgive myself, either." I told him, weakly reaching up to cup his cheek in my hand. "Please, Drake. I'm _begging _you. Don't come to see me often." I told him, though it was breaking my heart. I wanted Drake to be with me, but I didn't want his life to be in danger, either.

Drake just shook his head, whining softly as he cried, "Don't, Tommy. You're not going to win. Argue and beg and demand me all you want, but it's not going to work." He said, his voice powerful and final. He was right, though. I could fight him about this all I wanted, but it wasn't going to change him mind in the slightest. He was stubborn like that.

Just one of the many things I loved about him.


	17. Color Outside The Lines

**Chapter Sixteen: Sing Out Loud, Color Outside the Lines and Cause a Scene  
Adam's POV**

Tommy was diagnosed with a fever almost a week ago. Drake was an emotion wreck and he insisted on seeing Tommy every day. He hadn't show any signs of contracting the fever, but I was terrified regardless. It only took one transfer of the germ to infect Drake and spread through his body like it had done to Tommy.

Today was not a day I was particularly looking forward to. I hadn't slept well since we found out Tommy was sick on top of being worried about both Tommy and Drake. "Baby?" I whispered, walking over to Drake. He was sitting in front of the vanity, fixing his hair up into his lopsided ponytail.

Drake was dressed in tight golden shorts that barely passed over his ass. His shirt also didn't cover anything. It had no straps and it only went to his upper stomach. His tattoos stood out beautifully and he wore a shear shirt over the outfit. It was mostly see through and he left it undone in the front. If today wasn't so serious, I probably would have bent him over and fucked his brains out through his fucking shorts, but I knew I couldn't.

"Yeah?" Drake asked, opening both of his eyes once his liner and dusty golden shadow had been properly applied. He set the brush he had been using for his face make-up down and carefully drew the Eye of Horus design around his left eye.

"You ready to go?" I asked, walking over to him. I knew Drake wanted to go back to Tommy and be with him. I couldn't blame him. Today was the day that all of the criminals who had been caught in the middle of a crime would be brought before me. I would judge them and make my ruling for them. This usually happened once a month and, as the Pharaoh, it was my responsibility to do it. As my one and only spouse, Drake was also responsible for being there with me.

"Yes…" Drake said, after he swept a gentle touch of blush across his slightly tanned cheeks and a hint of gloss over his plump (but not nearly as plump as Tommy's) lips. He was just as stunning today as the day we had gotten married, a week and a half ago. I couldn't believe Drake's beauty just came so naturally and I really couldn't believe that he was completely mine. He glanced at me through the mirror and frowned a little. "What? Why are you staring at me?" he asked, standing from the vanity after pulling golden sandals onto his feet.

"Because you never fail to steal my breath away, baby," I whispered, kissing his glossed lips gently. He moaned, kissing me back before I pulled away and walked to the other side of the chamber. Drake wore one necklace, a few bracelets and one ring; his wedding ring. He looked modest, for the husband of a Pharaoh, but he outshined anyone who stood by him. "There's just one more accessory you need before we can go," I told him, walking over to my wardrobe.

I pulled a box from inside and rushed back over to Drake. I was merely dressed in formal attire with shades of make-up accenting my face similarly, but not nearly as gorgeously as Drake's. I held the box out to him and opened it. Inside was a newly made crown, simple in design and delicate looking, just like Drake. "For my bride," I told him. Even under the make-up, I could see Drake's cheeks flaming.

"Adam… You didn't need to…" I shushed him and took the crown from the box, placing it perfectly centered onto his head.

"Every royal family member needs a sign of their royalty," I told him. He wasn't used to being "royal". That much I knew was true. When people bowed to him, he wasn't entirely sure what he was supposed to do. He wasn't used to all of the respect he was suddenly getting.

"Thanks, baby…" he whispered and I smiled, wrapping my arm around his waist. Like a gentleman would, I escorted him through the palace, heading for the throne room. It was located right inside of the main entrance of the palace, where the huge stair case rested. I didn't actually spend much time in the throne room and the idea of having a throne room at all seemed close to pointless, but whatever.

When we entered the room, there was a line of about twelve convicts, all in shackles. They were all on their knees, their heads bowed. The rest of the room's occupants knelt down at our arrival, bowing their heads respectfully until Drake and I took our seats on my throne. Drake was, more or less, on top of my lap, but that didn't really bother me much at all. In fact, in made me want to march him right back down to the bedroom. The way he was dressed and the smell of vanilla was making my sense go haywire. Why did he have to be so damned beautiful all the time? Especially when he was completely bare…

"Let's get on with this," I sighed to the nearest guard. One by one, dirty prisoners were brought before me. Many of them had been caught stealing precious artifacts to sell on the black market and, in doing so, had injured or killed someone in the process. They were all, in my opinion, lowly people who gave the rest of Egypt a bad name. In their defense, it didn't help that I was in a completely horrible mood today, with the exception of how delicious Drake looked.

One by one, I sent them all straight to the dungeons. Their crimes were severe and I was in a terrible mood. My judging of them didn't take long. As my husband and my equal, Drake had every right to step in or criticize my judgment, but he never did. He probably saw each of these men the same way I did.

Each person brought before me took at least twenty minutes to deal with. I had to hear his side of the story as well as the charges and evidence against him. It was basically a normal trial, simply without the jury and when the last boy was brought before us, I was so relieved. I was close to just sending him off to the dungeon and be done with this.

However, when I saw his face, I noticed that he was much younger than the others. He was no more than a few years older than Drake and he was almost as beautiful, almost. His hair was black but had lightened to a slate gray color from the sun's saturation. He was much more tan than Drake but paler than I was and his height was something in between Drake's and mine. His eyes were a startling bright jade color and he was just as skinny and Drake was.

"What are the charges against this boy?" I asked the guard who had been repeating all of the facts to Drake and I. He glanced at the papers he was holding.

"His name is Hiei and he has been charged with stealing," he said. I sighed deeply. Another one? Honestly? "It was reported that he stole several pieces of plump fruit and some tools from a vender in the market and shoved through the crowd to get away. Several citizens were injured minimally."

I didn't really process much of what the man had just said. Most of the criminals brought before me were stealing priceless artifacts and seriously injuring the people who got in their way. This boy's crimes were not so horrible, but he was still one of them. My decision took only a moment. "Send him to the dungeons with the rest of them," I said, shooing them away with a simply wave of the hand. The guards moved to gather up the convicts, but they froze when Drake actually made himself known for the first time today.

"Adam, I don't think that's fair," he said, standing up from my lap.

I frowned at him, sitting up a little straighter in my throne. "Drake…" I began but he shook his head at me, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Adam, his crimes are minimal compared to the rest of the group. He's nothing more than a child," Drake said, sounding a lot older than he really was. The boy huffed, seeming to not take lightly to being called a child. "All he did was steal some food. He was probably hungry. Enough of Egypt knows how that feels and he doesn't deserve jail time for trying to survive."

"Drake, he's a thief, just like the rest of them," I argued. That seemed to upset Drake a little.

"Adam, he stole food. I've even been desperate enough to do that. Are you going to throw me in jail to?" he asked, his lips in a tight frown. "He doesn't deserve prison. Let him work in the palace as a servant or something. He can raise money to pay for the things he had damaged and we can get some extra help around here." Drake's eyes wandered back over to the boy- Hiei- for a moment before looking back at me. "Do you really want to be held responsible for what happens to that boy if we lock him up like a villain? You know what the other prisoners will do to a boy as pretty as him…"

I sighed deeply, rubbing my temples with my index fingers. Of course Drake had a point about Hiei being in danger if he was put in prison. He would probably be raped multiple times or, possibly, gang raped. I looked over at the boy, imagining a split lip, bruises, cuts and semen mixed with blood running down his thighs. My stomach knotted up and I felt like I might be sick for a minute.

"You're right…" I agreed and Drake smiled slightly, triumph radiating off of his face. I rolled my eyes and stood up, walking over to the boy. One guard held him tightly by the arm. To my amazement, Hiei didn't look terrified like the rest of the captured prisoners. He was calm and his eyes kept darting over to Drake. "I am willing to offer you a deal, boy. Instead of shipping you straight into the dungeons with the rest of these men, I will allow you to work in my palace as a servant boy. You will earn money to pay for what you have stolen and what you have damaged and you will be given all the food you could eat as well as a place to sleep." Hiei eyed Drake again before looking back up at me with those beautiful jeweled eyes of his. "You should thank my husband for standing up for you. This is a good deal. I wouldn't refuse it," I told him.

Hiei looked at Drake again before he nodded. "I won't refuse it, My Pharaoh," he whispered. His voice was deeper than Drake but still fairly soft. Up close I could see the wear and tear this boy had been through. Scraps and small scars littered his arms and legs. There was even a healed slice on the side of his neck, like he was on the wrong end of someone's knife. "Thank you," he added but he never truly looked at me.

I nodded at the guard who held him. "Unlock him and then take the rest of the prisoners to their cells," I told him. The guard took a key from his belt and made quick work of unlocking Hiei's shackles. The chains had done a pretty decent amount of damage to his wrists and I felt a little guilty. Drake was right… This wasn't a hardcore criminal, he was just a wandering boy who needed to keep himself alive, it seemed.

"You should to thank my husband for his kindness. If he had not been here today, and he certainly did not want to be, you would be leaving with the rest of those men and life in the dungeons for someone as attractive as you is certainly not an enjoyable one," I told him.

For the first time since he was brought before me, I saw his cool and collected demeanor break for a moment. Fear shot through the boy's emerald eyes and he bowed his head respectfully to me, his hair failing into his face. I wondered, for a moment, if this boy had been sexually abused beforehand. Like Drake… I also wondered if that was Drake's true motivation for speaking up for the boy. Perhaps Drake couldn't watch another boy suffer the way he did three years ago…

"Go thank him and then we will show you to your living quarters," I told him. Hiei kept his head bowed as he crossed to Drake. They talked for a few moments and Cassidy came up beside me, watching the two beautiful boys as if they were lions performing a dance.

"Surely now that you are married, you aren't looking for another pleasure servant?" Cassidy teased. I snickered a little, looking over at him.

"No, not for me anyway. I don't need anymore because Drake is a God," I said, still smirking like a mother fucker. Cassidy glanced at me, raising a brow.

"Drake is many people for you, I take it?" he asked, laughing. I blushed faintly, looking away from my adviser. "And what do you mean 'not for me anyway'?" he asked, frowning. I smirked again, although my cheeks were still a little too hot to be normal.

"All I mean is that you could use him for such, if you desired. I don't need a pleasure servant. Drake's a kinky bitch when it comes to bedding with me," I told him. It was Cassidy's turn to blush but he didn't look away from me.

"So I've heard," he commented, snickering. "And he's got you so whipped too. He might as well be running the country. You should probably get 'Drake's bitch' tattooed somewhere just so the few who don't know can figure it out." I blushed wildly, looking across the room at Drake and Hiei. Drake was probably the most beautiful boy I'd ever met and Cassidy was completely and totally right. I was so whipped it wasn't even funny. I truly was Drake's bitch, he just didn't completely know it yet.

"Maybe you can join us some night and figure out just how kinky he is," I smirked. He flushed again and his eyes fell on the boys as well. In the outfit Drake was wearing, it was hard not to imagine doing wonderfully naughty things to him, but his clothing was only accenting his natural beauty. He could have been wearing a brown paper sack and he'd still look just as beautiful. Hiei was almost as brilliant as Drake, but not quite. With a little bit of TLC he very well could be.

What had I gotten myself into by letting this boy stay? He was going to cause all sorts of problems…


	18. Holding Hands, You Promised Me

**Chapter Seventeen: Holding Hands, You Promised Me**

**Drake's POV**

I watched the boy, Hiei, follow Cassidy down through the palace corridors to where he would be staying, no doubt being informed of his duties and mealtimes from the adviser. I sighed softly, hearing Adam stepping up beside me, his arms snaking around my waist as he pressed a kiss to the side of my neck. My eyes slipped shut and I smiled, moaning quietly, as he kissed me again.

"Do you have any idea how badly I want you right now?" He whispered into my neck, breathing hot and slightly heavy into my skin. I moaned again, tilting my head back, exposing a stretch of neck just begging to be marked for him. Adam nipped a spot just along the underside of my jaw and I chuckled quietly.

"You _always _want me, Adam," I told him, turning my head to catch his lips in a gentle kiss. To be honest, though, I wanted him, too. Tending to Tommy left me exhausted and unmotivated for intimacy, and not sharing that intimacy for long periods of time was rather difficult.

"True, but especially today. Do you have any idea just how mouthwateringly delicious you look?" Adam whispered, nipping my earlobe, "I had to remember my authority as Pharaoh to keep myself from bending you over the arm of my throne and having my dirty way with you," he hissed, and I smirked, moaning quietly as his hands wandered down my sides. Part of me was incredibly happy that we were the only ones in the massive throne room.

"Kinky, love… We might have to try that, sometime," I told him, turning in his arms to stand on my tiptoes and kiss him. Adam moaned softly, reaching up to palm my face in his hands as we kissed, our mouths sweeping together in rhythmic, intimate patterns. Tongues teasing and moans dripping from our lips; air was second to this.

I wanted to keep kissing Adam. I wanted to push him up into his throne and fuck myself on him. Well, I wanted to fuck _him_ on his throne, but that was an entirely different want within me that, I doubted, I would ever voice to him. There were things I wanted to try, and I knew Adam, probably, wouldn't deny me of any of it, but there was a lingering sensation of… embarrassment, I guess, in asking.

Adam stepped back, pulling me with him up the small flight of stairs towards his throne, sitting down in the massive gold chair and pulling me onto his lap. I straddled his legs, my thighs pressing into the arms of the chair as my hands slid into his hair, pulling his head back as I deepened our kiss. Adam growled at me, his eyes squeezed shut, his hands resting firmly on my hips.

"Pharaoh?" A small, male voice squeaked and Adam groaned, pulling away from my lips, his hands tightening on my hips. I bowed my head, resting it against his shoulder as I sat down on his thighs to be out of his way, turned away from the person who spoke. He stared over my shoulder to the boy.

"Yes?" He hissed, irritated that someone had interrupted us. I could almost feel the boy's fear in the air, but I didn't look over at him. I had no interest to, and, I knew, that adding a second pair of eyes on that boy would only make him even more nervous. I'd been there before.

"T-the architect needs you to look over s-some blueprints.. F-for the pyramids, My Pharaoh." The boy mumbled, and Adam sighed heavily. I slid off of him, standing to the side as he stood from his throne. He turned towards me, tucking a finger under my chin before bending down and pressing a kiss to my lips. I moaned softly, feeling him pull away too quickly before trotting down the stairs to join with the boy. I watched them walk out of the throne room, and I sighed heavily.

I shook my head, feeling the weight of the crown on my head as I walked down the stairs, following the same path that Hiei and Cassidy had taken. Though, I had a different place in mind to go to. My original intention for today before Adam had informed me that we had other matters to take care of. Sure, I was his husband and his equal in power, but I did not find joy or comfort in watching my husband demand that a few men of Egypt be sent off to the dungeons to await further punishment or death.

True, though, most of them deserved if for their crimes. But did I, really, have to be a part of that? I doubted it, dearly, but I did not speak against it. It was my right as it was my duty, even if I didn't like it.

I passed a few servants in my trek towards Tommy's room. If they, too, were walking, they bowed their heads in respect until I passed. If they were standing, they would drop to their knees and bow before me. But most were not, and they only nodded. It was still strange to me to be regarded as royalty— as powerful as the Pharaoh of Egypt, himself. If someone had told me, three years ago, that this is where I would be and that Adam would be the man I was married to, I would have laughed in their face. I would have laughed a lot.

I chuckled to myself, feeling the sunlight blazing itself against my back as I walked down the hall, taking a looped left before seeing Tommy's room coming into sight. My heart skipped a small beat in my chest. I wondered if he was doing any better, but part of me wasn't so sure. He'd been diagnosed a week ago and had made no progress in getting better. If anything, he looked like he was getting worse.

But I had to think positive about the whole thing. Thinking negatively was only going to worsen my mood on the entire matter, and I knew that my being upset also upset Adam. I couldn't have that. Egypt still had some work to do in the matters of jobs for those in need. The advancements of the pyramid work had been accomplished, and the labor was less intense. But because of less labor, less men were needed. And Adam could only home so many servants.

I bit down on my bottom lip, stepping up to the frame of Tommy's door. I raised my fist to knock, but I stopped myself. If he was sleeping, I didn't want to disturb him. I inhaled slowly, reaching forward and taking the handle into my grasp, pushing the door open as quietly as I could.

I poked my head inside, seeing Tommy lying on his back, the blankets tucked around his chest, his arms flat at his sides. His eyes were closed and his chest was barely rising and falling with breath. I sighed softly, slipping into his room before closing the door just as quietly as I'd opened it. I shuffled over to his bedside, sitting down carefully so as to not move him.

At first, he looked okay. There were dark circles under his eyes and his normally brilliant blond hair was a little greasy, his natural brown roots growing in. I inhaled slowly, reaching forward to caress his flaming cheek with the back of my hand. My skin felt like ice compared to his and I whimpered quietly, feeling the sting of tears building up in my eyes.

It broke my heart to see Tommy like this. To see him so fragile and weak. His once-glowing skin looked pale and ashy; utterly unhealthy. Like at any moment a breeze would come in and blow him to pieces, taking him on a ride through the sands on a delicate wind. My heart clenched and I felt a tear roll down my cheek as I stared at him.

Barely breathing and looking like death. This was not the Tommy that I'd befriended and loved so dearly. This was not the Tommy that had always been there to help me through my difficult times with Adam and with my changing surroundings. This was not the beautiful man who'd taught me to kiss and trust the Pharaoh of Egypt with my heart, soul and body. This man, lying asleep in this bed, this was not Tommy.

But all the same, it was. It was Tommy because it was his face, his voice, his hair, his eyes and his heart. His soul and personality. Just weaker. Frailer. Ill to the point that if he were to fall anymore his body simply wouldn't be able to take it anymore. My heart thrashed in my chest at the idea of Tommy dying and I forced myself to push the thoughts back as I bent down, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"I love you," I whispered, beginning to cry, "Please, please get better. I can't lose you." I told him, though I doubted he could hear me. One of my tears fell, splashing against his cheek, right below his left eye. It looked like he was crying to, for it rolled, spreading down his skin like a thin river.

I swallowed, closing my eyes before bending down, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. Lips that were once so warm and smooth and now were cold and, slightly, chapped. I choked on a breath, palming Tommy's face as I rested my forehead against his, sobs beginning to wrack my body. I needed to leave, but I didn't want to, all the same. I didn't want to leave him, because every time I did, I feared that when I came back, he'd be gone…

I pushed myself off the bed, careful not to disturb him as I crossed to his door, trying to hold the tears back as I opened the wooden slab. I stopped, glancing up at the mural that I'd painted for him before rushing out of his room, closing the door behind me. I couldn't be there anymore. Seeing him so pale, so weak and lifeless made me ache.

I kept my head bowed so anyone who passed me couldn't see that I was crying. I didn't want anyone to raise questions or ask Adam about it, because I knew I wouldn't have been able to keep the events of my visit a secret. And, while I wanted nothing more than to be honest with Adam about everything, my kissing Tommy was something that I didn't have much of an intention in telling him about.

I inhaled slowly, rushing down a hallway towards the back entrance to the gardens. I needed to get away from the interior of the palace; away from Tommy's room. There were too many memories in that place and to see it so lifeless was killing me. It was tearing my heart apart and scattering it across the desert.

I reached the doors, pushing them open before wiping at my eyes, careful not to ruin my makeup too much. I wanted to look as normal as possible, and, if my makeup was ruined, that wasn't going to be possible. I needed to calm down. I needed to get a grip and understand that Tommy was going to be okay and that he was going to make it. He had to.

"Damnit, Tommy… How could I've let this happen to you?" I mumbled to myself, walking down the wide pathways through the shrubberies and flowers, the sculptures standing tall and proud, the trees rustling with a warm breath of a breeze. If I wasn't so depressed, I would have found inspiration right away. But I couldn't.

I sighed heavily, walking through the gardens towards the center where the large fountain rested, spraying water and creating rainbows in the air. Such a beautiful sight. My heart began to slow and I felt myself grow a little calmer as the time went by, but my worry for Tommy was still strong as ever. He had to be okay. I couldn't lose him like this. I'd always fantasized about growing old and wrinkled with Adam and Tommy, both. Always…

I took a step forward, unaware of my surroundings before someone bumped into me, knocking me down to the ground. I yelped when I bounced, my crown slipping askew, but holding onto the strands of my hair. I winced, pushing myself up into a sitting position, reaching up to fix the crown, "Pardon me," I said rather harshly, looking over at the person who'd bumped into me. I had every intention to call them out for not paying attention, despite the fact that I hadn't either, but when I saw them I froze. My eyes went wide, my throat dry and I forgot to breathe.

The man was slightly tanned, but pale compared to most Egyptians. His body was lithe, toned with well-built muscles, but he wasn't bulging with them. He wore a simple pair of white trousers that stopped and curled around his knees, dark brown sandals strapped to his feet. A dark blue top hung from his shoulders, a white vest over it and unbuttoned, hanging loose. His chocolaty brown hair hung in waves around his face, ending just a little past his shoulders. His bright, ocean blue eyes were staring back at mine in a perfect mirror of shock.

The man was breathing hard, his lips parted slightly before he began to push himself to his feet. He had the intention to flee, that was certain. I gasped, crawling onto my hands and knees before I shot to my feet. He turned, starting to push off the ground to run when I reached out, grabbing his arm, "Wait!" I said, pulling him back.

He tugged at my arm at first, but stopped, clearly aware of my status. He turned, bowing his head, his hair curtaining over his face. I licked at my lips, my heart racing in my chest. This wasn't possible. This couldn't have been possible… He.. he was supposed to be dead, wasn't he? He'd been dead for almost ten years, right?

"Alexander?" I inquired, and he lifted his head to meet my gaze again. I knew my own looks very well, and I used to wonder what I would look like as the years went by. But Alex was, true to the stories Adam and Cassidy had told me, the spitting image of me, but a few years older. His hair was a slight shade darker than mine, his eyes holding more wisdom in them. But, none the less, he looked like me. Or I looked like him. Whichever.

"Drake." He stated in a sort of matter-of-fact tone. Of course he would've known who I was, but the fact that he said my name so easily sent a chill down my spine. This just… This couldn't have been possible in the least. But here he was, slightly bowed before me, staring up into my eyes with matching blue orbs.

"H-how…" I whispered, unable to form a coherent, proper sentence. Alex stood to his full height— level to me— before he reached out, taking my hands in his and holding them tight.

"Drake, promise me," he began, his voice similar to mine, even. Fucking Ra, had the Gods separated us at birth? Were we twins in a past life? "Promise me you won't speak of me to Adam. Never tell him of this moment. Never tell him of me. Do you understand?" Alexander said, his voice quivering yet demanding. My mouth was so dry, I could only nod.

"Thank you, thank you," he whispered, leaning forward to kiss my forehead before he turned, running off into the distance of the gardens, disappearing from my sight.


	19. Who Is Innocent?

**Chapter Eighteen: Who Is Innocent? Is It Relevant In the World Today?**  
**Tommy's POV**

Not too many people came to see me since I'd gotten sick. Drake came to see me once a day and Elijah brought me food and medicine three times a day, but other than that, I was alone usually. Cassidy had visited me a couple of times and Adam had come with Drake a few times, but most hours of the day and night, I was alone. Not that I really noticed all that much… I was asleep twenty out of the twenty-four hours that made up one day.

There was a light knock at the door and I hoped it was Drake, as selfish as it was. I wanted him to stay away so he didn't get sick from me, but he was my entire support system. Sometimes I thought he was the person keeping me alive instead of Elijah. "Come in," I called weakly and, to my disappointment, the servant boy who had been tending to me walked in.

Elijah had been, more or less, my nurse for almost two weeks. As promised, he gave me all the medicine I needed. He cleaned me up and he brought me all the nourishment I needed. The doctor who had come to see me the first time, came back a week ago to see me. He told me that, basically, I hadn't gotten any better. That was bittersweet. Maybe I hadn't gotten better, but he didn't say I got any worse. That was a good sign, right? Right…

"Hey Tommy…" Elijah said. I smiled weakly at him, preparing myself for my daily torture. Half of my medicine was administered by a syringe instead of a pill or liquid and it hurt like Hell. So instead of thinking about the needle that would soon be penetrating my arm, I thought of Drake and all the things he told me about over the last couple of weeks. He told me of the criminal he stood up for, told me how beautiful the new boy was and we both made jokes about Adam's pleasure servants followed by Drake promising that if Adam ever had sex with Hiei, he would personally castrate him.

I turned my head to look at the ceiling, trying not to watch Elijah preparing the syringe. I could still see out of the corner of my eye and I watched as he stuck the tip of a shining needle into a glass bottle of clear liquid. "How are you feeling today, Tommy?" he asked quietly, pulling the plunger of the syringe up to pull the medicine into the tube.

"Not much better than yesterday or the day before that, or the day before that…" I whispered, allowing my eyes to slip shut. I didn't want to watch him stick me with the needle.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Honey…" he whispered. Elijah generally talked to me. He liked having conversations with me and I had told him a lot of things I probably shouldn't have. I admitted my love for the Pharaoh's husband to him and I told him about all the times Drake and I spent together. I told him of some of the dreams I'd had about Drake, though I never went into the more… intimate details of them and I explained the story behind Drake's mural.

He seemed really interested in Drake and Adam both. I'd always wondered why he asked so many questions about them but I probably shouldn't have. Honestly, Drake and Adam were the most well known people in modern day Egypt, aside from Brad maybe. After Brad's execution, he had been a hot topic of discussion. I wasn't sure if anyone actually knew what Brad was executed for, at least not fully. We all tried to keep Drake's rapes a secret. Nobody needed to know of the shame Brad forced upon Drake… but most people did know of Anna's murder.

That's besides the point anyway. He asked me about Brad a lot. Sometimes he wanted to know too many details about what Brad had done and I'd let it slip once that Drake had been raped by the man but Elijah promised that he wouldn't tell a soul. I prayed to all of the Gods that was true. If people started giving Drake, and even Adam, a hard time because of what Brad did to Drake, all because I had told someone when I shouldn't have, I would feel even worse than I did right now.

"It isn't your fault, Elijah. You're just trying to help me get better. If anything, I should be apologizing for sucking up all of your time," I told him. He laughed softly and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"It's my job, Tommy. It doesn't bother me in the slightest. Honestly, if I wasn't taking care of you, I'd be taking care of someone else who had fallen ill," he said. He placed a cool, wet cloth over my forehead and I almost moaned at the relief it provided for me. I groaned because it was simply too short a relief. It needed to last longer, but my flesh was so hot, the cloth heated up like it was never cold in the first place.

"Well, I thank you for doing it…" I said, smiling softly at him. It was forced, mostly because the only person who ever made me smile was Drake. Being sick was mentally exhausting and almost nothing made me happy. When I actually got Drake to smile instead of cry, I was happy. That's truly when I could smile.

"You are very welcome, Tommy," he said, his fingers running through my hair several times. It felt nice to have someone comfort me with physical touches, but when it wasn't Drake, it wasn't the same. "I'm afraid I've got some bad news for you, though…"

My eyes snapped open. Elijah wasn't holding the syringe anymore. It was laying on my nightstand, safe and out of the way. "I'm… I'm not getting worse, am I?" I asked, forcing a fearful lump back down my throat. It felt like my lungs were collapsing and my heart was pounding its way into my chest, suffocating me with its bulk. "Please tell me I'm not getting worse…"

He stared down at me, his eyes going hard and serious. "I'm not a doctor. I wouldn't be able to tell you if you were getting worse, so that I can't answer…" he said, his eyes flickering towards the syringe laying on the nightstand for a moment before looking me in the eye again.

"Then…" I started, my eyes darting back and forth between the needle and his eyes. Why was he acting so strange? And why was I suddenly feeling very unsafe in his presence? "Then what is the bad news?" I asked, swallowing another lump of fear, which settled roughly in my stomach. It felt like rotten food attempting to digest.

"You won't be seeing Drake for a while…" he said and I frowned. What the fuck was that supposed to mean? Had Drake decided that it really wasn't worth it to see me after all? That would have been the smart thing, but it made my heart feel a little heavier than normal. Or was it something even worse than that? Had Drake started getting fever symptoms as well? Was he beginning to get sick because of me?

"Is he okay?" I whimpered, my eyes wide with fear. Elijah smiled at me and there was something haunting about the grin that stretched across his face. "Elijah, is Drake okay?" I repeated, forcing myself to be as stern as I possibly could with the boy. I didn't want to sound rude or demanding or harsh, but if I had to, I would. Drake was far more important than this kid and he was _not_ going to fuck with me about Drake. That was something I definitely wasn't ready to stand for.

"He's fine, for now," Elijah said, that grin still on his face. There was something about it that terrified me and something else that made me want to punch him in the face just to wipe the grin away. "He probably won't be for very long though…" he added. He reached for the syringe, taking the glass into his hand.

"Is he getting the symptoms I had?" I asked, unconsciously inching away from the boy but his hand lashed out, attaching to my arm in a painful grip. Elijah was strong, much stronger than I ever was when I was at full health. Now that I was weakened with fever, he could have flicked me and it would have felt like a punch. He didn't have any problem holding me down.

"Symptoms you've had? No, nothing like that… but your condition is beginning to eat at him. He's blaming himself for what's happening to you. He's convinced himself it's his fault that you are dying…" he said. I stared hard at him. Drake and I had discussed this again and again and while he might have felt a little guilty for not paying more attention to me, he certainly didn't blame himself completely and he absolutely refused to believe that I was dying. He couldn't bring himself to believe that and neither could I. Besides, how would Elijah even know all of this? He wasn't close to Drake! Drake was far too busy tending to Adam and royal business to be paying any mind to what a servant boy who was here to take care of me did.

"You're lying," I hissed and he frowned fiercely at me.

"Am I?" he asked, pressing the needle into my arm. He didn't even bother using a band to cut off circulation anymore. The permanent hole in my wrists showed him where my vein was located. "Well, once you really are dying, I'm sure he'll feel like that…" he added, pushing the needle into my vein. I tensed, wanting to rip my arm away but knowing that would cause a huge problem for me. Not to mention, I simply wasn't strong enough to pull out of his grip.

"You're saying I'm dying?" I hissed. He merely shook his head, pressing the plunger down to inject the liquid into my bloodstream. At first, I didn't feel anything at all. I never really did, but after a few moments, my vision began to go blurry and my head was swimming. It was almost overpowering.

"No… not yet anyways. But you won't be seeing anyone for a really long time…" he said and he pulled the needle out of my arm. He stood up completely, letting me go. I wanted to get up. I wanted to run to someone who could help me because honestly, Elijah was confusing me and he was scaring the shit out of me. I wanted to find Drake and I wanted to make sure that he was alright…

But I couldn't get up. I didn't have the energy. I felt even weaker now than I did before Elijah came in and I was beginning to slip. I could feel darkness creeping up into me to claim me into the world of the unconscious. This wasn't anything like sleep though… Sleep was peaceful and generally welcomed by its host. This was forced and this was not at all what I wanted to be happening.

"I'll make sure someone finds you in an hour or so," Elijah said and he began packing up his little bag. "With any luck, it will be the Pharaoh's husband," he added as he turned towards the door. I watched him walk out, wanting nothing more than to jump from the bed and rush after him. I couldn't move though. I could barely even fucking see! Before I even knew what was happening to me, I was seeing nothing and I was slipping into the world of blackness that so many people compared to being dead while still physically alive.


	20. The Hardest Part of This is Leaving You

**Chapter Nineteen: 'Cause The Hardest Part Of This Is Leaving You…**

**Adam's POV**

It took me about a half an hour, or close to an hour, to finish my business with the architect before being able to return back to the palace and spend some quality time with Drake. Honestly, though, if the matters hadn't been as important as they were, I would have left almost immediately to return to the intimacy that I was sharing with my husband. But there had been a bit of a setback in one of the pyramid progresses that the man needed me to look over before being able to continue.

I sighed tiredly, trudging back through the throne room and down the hall towards my chambers. I wasn't sure where Drake was going to be but, I figured, our room would be a good place to start. If he wasn't in our room, I would check his studio, the gardens, Tommy's room, the library, wherever I had to to find him.

Though, part of me did hope that I wasn't going to have to search for long. As it was, this day had been dragging on long enough; what with the judging this morning of all the criminals to then overseeing some construction issues and Tommy being sick. I had no motivation to do much else than to spend some nice, quiet alone time with Drake. Kissing, cuddling, _maybe _(okay, most definitely) some love making, and then dinner and bed.

My arms swung at my sides as my servants scurried back and forth, finishing their duties for the night before dinner. The sun was well on its way to the western horizon, but there was still enough light to consider it day and not, even, twilight. A warm breeze blew through the open windows, racing down the halls and caressing the skin that was exposed on my arms and legs, tickling the back of my neck and tossing my hair gently around my face.

I smiled softly, enjoying the peace of my home as I quickened my pace a little, nearing my chambers. I reached forward, taking the handle into my grasp before pulling the massive door open, slipping inside, leaving it ajar enough in case I needed to leave again.

Upon first glance, I knew Drake wasn't here, which narrowed my places to search, and fortunately most of the remaining places were nearby. The furthest, I believe, was the library or his studio, I couldn't remember which. Both were about the same distance from my chamber, but in opposite directions from one another (rather unfortunate for my case if I happened to look in one and he was in the other). I sighed softly, peeling off most of my jewelry, carrying them to my vanity to set them down. I no longer had any use for them for this evening, and they were more of a nuisance than anything else.

I tugged off my vest and my shirt, letting them drape on the chair that was sitting close to my vanity, stretching my arms above my head as a breeze swept through my chamber, cooling my sweat-slicked skin. I sighed softly, running fingers through my hair. It'd grown some, and I was in need of a cut, but it wasn't necessary for the time being. I figured I'd get it done after I knew Tommy was okay…

Ra… How could he've gotten so sick, and right under our noses? He'd seemed so fine, so healthy and happy for us, and then suddenly he just dropped. I bit down on my bottom lip, rubbing the back of my neck gently as I walked towards my balcony, my sandals scuffing the stone lightly as the setting sunlight washed over my dark skin, setting the sweat ablaze.

It had never been my intention to let Tommy fall ill. I'd always been so paranoid about his and Drake's health since I'd already watched so many close loved ones slip into the Afterlife because of fever. I didn't want to watch it happen again, but Tommy was slipping through our fingertips like sand… He was running out of time and that scared me. But, I knew, that as long as we were able to keep him well medicated, rested and fed with the proper nourishments, he'd be okay…

Unfortunately, the very cure hadn't saved Alexander…

My heart seized, jolting up into my throat and making it clench. I had to fight to breathe as I stood by the balcony's railing, leaning against it as I put my head into my hands. On top of trying to keep Egypt functioning and happy for my people, I had to deal with one of my best friends and lovers, potentially, balancing on the edge of life and death.

It just wasn't fair. I'd already lost my whole family and the first love of my life to this. I couldn't stand to watch it take away Tommy, too. I couldn't watch his death ruin Drake, either… I knew how close they were and that, if Tommy were to pass, it would crush Drake. While Drake was my husband and my eternal lover, his love for Tommy was just as strong…

I sighed softly, shaking my head as I glanced out over the gardens behind my chamber. Servants taking light strolls, citizens taking some time to themselves. Yes, the gardens were open to my people as well. I wasn't entirely selfish. While they were not allowed in the palace for obvious reasons, I knew most appreciated the beauty and calm of the gardens, and, early in my reign, I'd made it available to all.

I glanced over towards the western half, staring passed the fountain that Drake and I had gotten married at. I smiled softly to myself, the memory flashing back in my mind, the heat and passion Drake and I had shared on that night when we were married. I shook my head, closing my eyes for a moment before opening them again, looking further beyond and seeing who I assumed to be Drake in the distance. I could see his golden attire and the tattoos on his arms. So, the gardens after all, eh? I chuckled, pushing off from the railing when something caught my eye.

Who was Drake talking to? A servant? From this distance, it was hard to tell, but I could see that they were about the same height, same hair color, but I couldn't differ much else between them. I frowned, stepping back into my chamber before walking across the massive room towards the doors, slipping out and shutting them before making my way down the hall towards one of many doors that led to the gardens.

My sandals slapped the ground, the sound of my pant legs rubbing together as I walked were the only sounds that filled my ears as I turned a corner, stepping up to two massive doors, pushing the right one open. Soft light blinded my eyes and a gentle gust of air caressed my skin as I scampered down the stone steps into the gardens, turning westward in the direction that I'd seen Drake.

No matter the time of day or my mood, much like the library, the gardens always brought a sense of peace to me. The elegant arrangement of the flowers, trees, shrubberies, statues and all around beauty was just so… Inspiring and calm. I inhaled deeply, savoring the smell of fresh new life as I made my way across, taking pleasure in the briskness of the afternoon.

Up ahead, I saw Drake sitting on a stone bench, his elbows resting on his knees with his hands clasped together, back hunched slightly. He was staring hard at the ground, his face pale and perturbed. He looked like he'd seen a ghost and was trying to analyze how such a thing was possible. I frowned, slowly my pace as I neared him, quiet in my walk. He didn't seem to notice me until I cleared my throat.

"Drake?" I said to him, taking another step closer as he lifted his head, his perplexed eyes shifting back and forth between mine, "Are you alright, love?" I asked, shifting on my feet to sit beside him, taking his hands in mine. I noticed, upon grasping them, that he was shaking ever so gently.

Drake didn't say a word. He looked so confused and disturbed. Had he really seen a ghost? If so, then who? I couldn't imagine anyone coming to haunt him, especially in broad daylight, but what did I know? Drake turned his head, looking up into my eyes. His normal bright and pleasant blue ones were dark, haunted. His lower lip was quivering. I frowned, reaching up to cup his cheek in my palm.

"Baby?" I whispered, concern and worry flooding through my being. I wanted to ask more questions. I wanted to know what had bothered him so much. Was it Tommy? Had someone said something about his condition? Was there something amiss with his family? But that couldn't have been. His brothers had been busy with their school and Amalia and Roza were busy with work of their own; Amalia was a seamstress and Roza was schooling children younger than Hayden…

But I wasn't able to get another word in to him. There was a sound of leather slapping stone and a young man came rushing up to us, out of breath and frantic, the collar of his shirt lined with what appeared to be sweat. We both looked up as he came rushing, and, for a moment, I was sure that I recognized him. Had he not been the boy who'd been tending to Tommy for the past few weeks? What was his name again?

"My Pharaoh?" The boy huffed, his black hair sweaty along the hairline, frizzy and sticking to his head, his jade eyes wide and terrified. My heart clenched in my chest and my throat closed up.

"Yes?" I whispered softly to him, unable to speak any louder. He was breathing hard, clenching his side. He looked as if he'd been running far and long. Oh, Ra…

"M-my Pharaoh, you must come quickly. I-it's Tommy… I.. I can't get him to wake up. Please, my Pharaoh, there's something wrong!" He exclaimed. I felt Drake tense beside me before the brunette shot to his feet to join the boy, myself not far behind either of them.

The servant boy guided us back to Tommy's room, taking the fasted route possible, but it still felt like an eternity. Drake looked like he was on the brink of keeping his composure and absolute terror. I couldn't say that I blamed him in the least; I was feeling the exact same way.

I held tight to Drake's hand as we rounded a corner, rushing down the hall to Tommy's room. It felt like every step forward just stretched the massiveness even longer, making it damned near impossible to reach the door. Drake and I were breathing hard from running and following the boy, but finally we reached the door. Drake's face was pale, his eyes wide as the green-eyed servant pushed Tommy's door open.

Drake rushed forward, pushing the boy aside as he hurried to Tommy… Tommy, who was sprawled on his bed, facing the door. His head was on the edge of his pillow, on the brink of rolling off, his right arm dangling from the mattress. He looked pale and he didn't seem to be breathing as I stepped into the room after Drake. The servant-boy stood outside the door, trying to catch his breath. But he was the last thing on my mind as I neared Tommy.

Drake was sitting on the edge of the bed, Tommy's shoulders clenched in his grasp. He shook Tommy, his mouth moving as he tried to wake the blond up, but I couldn't hear anything other than the sound of my heart thrashing in my ears with fear. Tommy wasn't waking up. Tommy looked… No…

I fell to my knees, taking up Tommy's limp, chilled hand in mine. A whimper fell off my lips as I held it tenderly in my own palm, reaching forward to touch his cheek. He was still hot with a fever… Was he still.. Or… Tears stung my eyes and I leaned forward, pressing my forehead to Tommy's as I began to cry, the sounds of Drake's sobbing filling my ears.

This couldn't have been happening. Tommy couldn't.. He couldn't die. Not like this. He and Drake were supposed to surpass me in their life, for I was older than the both of them. How could the Gods do this to us? To me? I'd already lost so many… What fairness was there in taking more?

Tommy's forehead was still scalding hot, dry and without signs of breaking. Maybe the fever had taken him the same way it took Alex… Swift and merciless in its heat, however quiet it might've been. My heart clenched and my throat closed up as I choked on a sob, squeezing Tommy's hand in mine. He couldn't be gone…

I turned, seeing the boy still in the doorway, watching us with grieved eyes, "_Get the doctor!_" I shouted at him, tears streaming down my face as he nodded once, turning and rushing down the hallway. I swallowed the lump in my throat before turning towards Drake.

He was a weeping mess, holding tight to Tommy's other hand in both of his like letting go would cause him to cease to be. I inhaled shakily, trying to stop my tears as I stood, letting go of Tommy's hand. Drake wailed, shaking with sobs and that only made my own tears flow faster as I pulled him into my arms, tearing him away from the seemingly-sleeping blond.

"_No!_" Drake wailed, trying to fight me. I had to get him away from Tommy. Tommy was still hot, still feverish even if he was, truly, gone— not that I believed it in the least. I couldn't risk Drake getting sick, too. I couldn't lose him..

"Drake, baby, please.." I whispered, fighting the sharp yelp of pain as he clawed at my bare chest, forcing me to let go of him. He launched himself at Tommy's bed, collapsing at the side with his arms thrown over the blond, his face pressed into Tommy's blanketed chest. I shook with a sob at the sight of them both. Tommy… Drake..

"_No!_" He screamed again when I tried to pull him away. I heard the sound of footsteps and I turned, seeing the doctor rushing in, gently easing me aside. I whimpered quietly, fighting with Drake to peel him away from Tommy as the doctor opened his bag to pull out medicines and the like. I held Drake tightly by the wrist, looping my arm around his waist as I pulled him out of the room. He was screaming and crying for the first ten or twenty yards on our walk back to my room, but eventually he stopped. He held onto me, weeping quietly as I half-carried him down the hall.

We didn't say a word as I pulled one of the doors to our room open, slipping inside with Drake, practically, glued to my hip. I tugged the door shut, wrapping my arms around him and holding him to my chest as he cried.


	21. And Dozens More By Association

**Chapter Twenty: And Dozens More By Association  
Hiei's POV**

The Pharaoh's palace.

I couldn't believe I was actually living here. Sure, my room was a little smaller than most and I didn't get three course meals, but I'd, honestly, never lived so well in my entire life. Even when I lived at home, with my father, I didn't get much. We weren't exactly poor but we never had extra money either. We had little meat and a very small house. It was better than what most of our neighbors.

When I was pulled into the palace with the rest of those prisoners, I feared the worst. I thought that, at the very least, I would be put in a terrible prison, where I was probably be molested or raped… I didn't put it past the Pharaoh to simply ship me off to the chair, but then his husband stood up for me. He had been completely silent throughout the entire judging and I didn't expect a change for me. I was truly amazed when it did. Drake had been nothing but kind to me, which was more than I could say for the rest of the people who lived and worked here.

Pharaoh and his adviser, Cassidy, were the only two people besides Drake who had even said anything to me. I don't think many people fancied having a "criminal" in the palace. Really, I wasn't a danger to anyone. Sure, I stole food and I'd fight for my own protection, but I wasn't a thug. I wouldn't just beat the shit out of someone for no reason. Whenever I walked down the hall, most people looked down at me, as if I was something to be disgusted with. I didn't understand it. Were they not servants just like me?

The sudden upgrade in living styles was nice but the work they had me doing was completely awful. I was doing other people's laundry! And I was cleaning washrooms and scrubbing floors. The work left me feeling in desperate need to wash myself. What was even worse, than what I actually had to do, was the fact that I wasn't even trusted to do it alone. Someone was always watching over me as I worked. Most of the time, it was the Pharaoh's adviser. He was always kind to me, but he wasn't exactly… the social type.

When Cassidy was with me, he was usually scrawling notes across a portfolio that seemed to be glued to his hands. I never saw him without that damned thing. We never had conversations other than "good morning" and "this is what you need to get accomplished today". I understand that he's an important guy and he has his own work to do on top of watching over my work, but he could at least have a small conversation with me! Yes, I've broken the law but that didn't make me any less human! I liked socializing as much as the next person!

I knew the things I had done were against the law, but I wasn't sorry for what I had done. I was simply staying alive. I was twenty-four, a few years older than the Pharaoh's husband from what I had heard, but I was still young. Basically I was only doing what I needed to do to survive. I didn't have a job, it was almost impossible to get a job now-a-days. Well, things were getting better, I had to admit, but not good enough for me. When I was seventeen, I ran away from my father and I lost any form of money after that.

Call me what you will, whether it be idiotic or brainless, I don't care. I couldn't stay at home anymore. My father was a lonely old man who was barely surviving. I was his first and only child. My mother died in childbirth, so, needless to say, my father never really liked me much. He hated me and the day I decided to leave was the breaking point for me.

_I'd just woken up to the sun peaking through the small window in my tiny room. My back ached from the work from the day before and my arms burned and itched from too much sun._

"Hiei! Get your ass out of bed, now!" my father screamed from the other side of the door. I simply sighed, rolling out of bed. My hair was sticking up on end but I simply didn't care. Who did I have to impress? I was too busy working and trying to survive the constant strain on my body to have an actual relationship. "Hiei!"

"I'm coming!" I called, my arms stretching above my head. Sickening cracks came from my spine and I cringed before shoving my bedroom door open. My father instantly grabbed me by the forearm and dragged me out into the tiny space that could be considered a living room. There stood a man, about six foot four, with dark, shagging hair that hid his eyes. "What's going on…?" I asked. My father shoved me forward and the man grabbed me tightly by the wrist.

"Well?" my father hissed, staring at the man that was now holding onto me. "Is he good enough for you?"

"He's beautiful…" the man said, reaching up to cup my cheek in his large hand. "Worth every penny." I couldn't even breathe. My father fucking sold me to this man?

"Dad…" I whispered, turning my head to look at him, but he was too busy counting gold pieces to pay me any mind. "Dad!" I screamed at him. "You can't honestly be selling your only family!" He glanced up at me before completely turning away from me and walking out of the room.

The man began to pull me out of the house, muttering something about how good he was going to make me feel and what things he was going to make me wear. Not only had my father sold me to some strange man but he sold me to be this man's bed servant? I was nothing but a sex toy?

Somehow, I managed to slip away from the man and I ran off with absolutely nothing. I couldn't risk going home to get anything because I didn't want my father to catch me and call that man. I refused to bed with someone simply because he paid for me. I wasn't a possession, I was a human being!

I finally snapped back to reality. I was on my knees, scrubbing the floor with a sponge filled with soapy water. Cassidy was sitting on a bench behind me, no doubt scribbling into his fucking notes. I sighed deeply, realizing that I had been scrubbing the same spot for a good ten minutes.

"You do know that there is the rest of the floor that's in need of scrubbing, right?" Cassidy asked. I heard some shuffling behind me before he appeared beside me, looking down at where I was kneeling.

I frowned, keeping my eyes locked on the sponge clenched tightly in my hand. "I know… I'm sorry," I said quietly. There were a billion rude things I would have liked to say to him, but I didn't want to push my luck too far just yet. I was still extremely new and I didn't want to chance getting sent to actual prison. I couldn't handle the abuse I would have taken there with all of those horrid, disgusting men.

Cassidy sighed and, to my complete and utter shock, he knelt down on the floor next to me, as if we were equals. "Are you alright, Hiei?" he asked softly, his hand falling against my shoulder. I blinked, looking over at him. I'd tensed under his touch and I could see the frown that pulled at his lips, but he didn't move away. "Hiei?" he repeated.

"I'm just… not feeling like myself," I guess. I didn't want to just pour out my heart and soul to a guy that I didn't even know. I'd never been close to anyone, especially since my father tried to sell me to some pervert. "I just zoned out. I'll be fine," I added. His eyes were wide, filled with what I could only imagine to be sympathy and concern. I knew he wanted me to be open with him but I would _not_ tell him that my father tried to sell me as a sex slave and that's why I didn't have a home and that's why I stole things like food. I had too much pride to tell anyone that, especially someone as important as Cassidy.

"If you need to take a break, you may," he said. His free hand came up to touch my forehead, first with the pads of his fingers, followed by the back of his hand.

"What are you doing?" I asked, pulling away from him. He frowned further, but he didn't make a move to stop me pulling back.

"We have a bad case of fever beginning to break out again. Someone in the palace has fallen ill and I just wanted to make sure that you were not contracting the same illness," he said, giving me an apologetic look. "I'm just concerned for your health. I don't want more people getting sick."

I'd been living on the streets for almost seven years. I had built up an extremely strong immune system. If I hadn't, disease would have claimed me many moons ago. "I'm not feeling sick or anything, just… out of it, I guess," I muttered and I began scrubbing the sponge across the floor again.

"You're sure you don't want to take a break?" Cassidy asked me.

I shook my head, keeping my eyes locked on the floor as I scrubbed it. "No, I just want to get this done and over with before dinner," I told him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him nod and stand to return to his place on the bench, no doubt to return to his beloved portfolio. I was truly convinced that he might have an anxiety attack if he didn't have it on him.

I spent several hours on my knees, scrubbing the floors until the entire room was polished and shining almost as brightly as the Pharaoh's husband. I set the sponge back into the bucket of water I had been using and I turned my head to see if Cassidy had noticed I was done. To my complete humiliation, he was staring at my backside, his mouth parted ever so slightly. He looked as if he could be drooling. I felt a light blush rush across my face but my tan was so dark, no one would be able to tell that I was blushing.

"Um…" I started, turning to face him. "You're staring at me…" I told him, putting my hands on my hips. Like Drake, my frame was a little more curvy that most men, much to my displeasure.

Cassidy blinked, his mouth closing instantly and his eyes meeting mine. I could plainly see the blush in his cheeks, but I didn't comment on it. I actually felt like smirking, but I didn't. I kept myself in check, as hard as it was. "I… I apologize," his said, his eyes meeting mine for a moment before he looked away again.

"It's alright," I said, shrugging it off as if it were nothing. "Now that I've finished, may I go bathe for dinner?" I asked. Cassidy nodding and I left the room before he could change his mind. I glanced back at him, finding him watching my ass as I left. I turned my head, smirking lightly to myself. I wasn't conceited in the slightest, but I knew I was a pretty thing to look at. People always stared, but I never gave anyone the time of day.

I might with Cassidy though, I could definitely use his affections to my benefit. Perhaps, if we grew close enough, I could even get out of this disgusting work permanently…


	22. Until You Break, Until You Yield

**Chapter Twenty-One: Until You Break, Until You Yield**

**Drake's POV**

I sat in the silence of the gardens on my knees next to Anna's memorial, tears streaming my face with my hands in my lap. A wind kicked up my hair, tossing it around my face as I stared blankly at the statue of my little sister with the kitten in her hold, smiling just as sweetly as she used to. She would have turned seven this year. She would have been so lovely.

I inhaled shakily, keeping my eyes on her as the tips of my overgrown hair tickled my nose. I made no move to push it out of my face, though. I kept them, folded together neatly, in my lap; the fingers cold from lack of movement. I had been sitting out here for several hours now, unwilling to go anywhere or see anyone. I had been hoping that my little sister would give me comfort, but there was none with the heaviness in my heart.

I could still hear the doctor's words in my ears. I could still remember the tone of Adam's voice when he commanded the servant boy to fetch said doctor. The pain and agony, the need for Tommy to live. The doctor had arrived so quickly and spent almost the entire night giving Tommy medicines, checking his vitals, trying to understand his condition.

The doctor had said that Tommy was still alive. His fever had put him into a sort of comatose state. He would be unresponsive until the fever ran its course and, as long as he was still given medicine on a daily basis as well as food to be force fed, he would be fine. He would live to see the rest of his life. Though, I wasn't sure that I believed it. I could remember Adam telling me that Alex had fallen ill with fever, falling into death so swiftly. Why would the Gods grant Tommy a second chance at life if they were going to put him into a coma, first?

Alex… If he'd been dead for almost ten years, how was it he was able to stand before me? Was he in spirit? Then how did I run into him? How could I have felt the soft, warmth of his skin, feel his hands on my shoulders, his lips on my forehead? Was I crazy? Was it someone else and I had only hallucinated, thinking it was Adam's late lover? No… It had been too real to be illusion.

Never the less, Alex's presence in the back of my mind was just as haunting as Tommy's condition. Between the two, Adam had been questioning me, almost, daily about the stranger that I'd met in the gardens. It killed me inside to refuse him the knowledge that I'd encountered Alexander, but if Adam's first lover was, truly, alive, I couldn't give him away. Alex had asked— no, _begged_— me not to. I couldn't go against that.

All the same, if Alex's appearance was not an illusion or other worldly, why was he lingering around the palace? Why would he stay if Adam and I had been committed for the past three years and recently married? I didn't want to seem selfish, though I had every right, but Alex, in my mind, didn't really have a place in the palace anymore. He was not Adam's. Adam was not his.

I shivered, sitting back to lean against the palace walls with my knees drawn to my chest, my arms wrapped tightly around them. How was Alex alive, though? Adam had told me, many times— though, I knew it pained him each time— that Alex had died from the same fever that Tommy had contracted in his arms. One cannot fake death, no matter how good of an actor they were. The only means were of herbs or potions, but why would Alex fake death if he loved Adam so fiercely?

I shook my head to myself, resting my forehead on my knees. Things were so strange, so befuddling to me and all I wanted was for it to return to normal. For Tommy to be healthy. To be happy at my side as an eternal friend and Adam as my husband and lover. I bit down on my bottom lip, feeling the sting of tears.

On top of the madness of Tommy's sickness and Alex's random appearance, it seemed that every time I encountered my brother, Eric, things were tense. I knew he did not like the fact that I'd been taken from our home back in the city to be Adam's pleasure slave. But he could not be angry with me— it was not _my_ plan to work for Adam as such a slave. And I knew that Eric was grateful for Adam's hand in his studies.

Even still, things were not as comfortable as they used to be with my brother, not that Jonah, Hayden or Amalia seemed to notice. I knew my mother sensed a disturbance between us, but whenever she questioned it, we commented in saying there was nothing. But, then again, the last time that had happened was almost a week ago. I had seen little of my family since then because of Tommy's illness and my position as the Pharaoh's husband. My duties had increased tenfold because of the change in status.

I lifted my head from my knees, staring with a blurred vision at the statue of my youngest sibling. Anna had been like my daughter more than my little sister; she'd been so young… I knew the sting of hate for Brad would never leave my heart. Even in the lives to come for me, when I'd passed through the After and started anew, I would always feel that hate for taking her away from me…

"Drake?" I jumped out of my skin, momentarily, before turning to my left, looking up to see Adam standing above me. His face looked aged with the stress of the past couple of weeks, but he was still my beautiful Adam. I smiled softly at him as he stepped out from the glass door of my studio to join me beside Anna.

He crouched down before sitting, pulling me into his arms and wrapping them tightly— almost possessively— around my midsection, pressing my back to his chest. He smelled of fresh harvested honey with a sort of underlying tone of old parchment; rich and exotic, and all Adam. I suspected that he'd been in the library recently.. I inhaled deeply, relaxing against him as he pressed a gentle kiss to the side of my head along the hairline above my ear. I smiled slightly, a blushing fanning over my cheeks.

"You scared me," I commented, and Adam laughed quietly, kissing my skin again. I moaned softly, letting my eyes slip shut as he shifted his arm, reaching up to caress my cheek with his fingertips. I opened my eyes, turning my head to face him as he smiled.

"That was not my intention," he said, ghosting a kiss against my lips, "I only wished to get your attention." Adam explained, kissing me sweetly. I moaned, bringing my hand up to palm his cheek tenderly, pressing myself closer to him as he slid his tongue between the seam of my lips, tasting mine against my cheek.

We kissed passionately for several moments, the only sounds emitting themselves in the air were that of the wind passing through the trees and the soft pops and clicks of our mouths and tongues slipping and sliding back and forth. I moaned again, followed by a whine as Adam pulled away from our kiss, smirking delicately as I blushed, burying my face into his neck. He chuckled, running his fingers through my hair, holding me close to him.

My breathing calmed and slowed, my chest rising and falling deeply as I curled up in Adam's arms. I believe this had been the first time in a long time that I was, truly, at peace. The worry for Tommy and the confusion about Alex had been pushed to the back of my mind and all I cared about was being in Adam's embrace, feeling his fingers dragging through my hair as he left butterfly kisses against my scalp.

But such peace could not last for long, of course. The Gods must've found favor in ruining my good days, "Baby," Adam began, leaving another kiss into my hair. I hummed in response, my eyes closed, my body slack in his hold, "please, just tell me who you were talking to the other day, here in the gardens."

My eyes opened, not that Adam could see, and I stared hard at Anna's statue. I didn't know why it was such a big deal for him to know who I was talking to. I'd told him that it had been no one— just a servant who'd lost his way. But, I knew, that Adam didn't believe me. He had this uncanny ability to know when I was lying or keeping something from him. And no matter how hard I tried to make it seem convincing, he wouldn't buy it for a moment.

"It was no one, Adam, I've told you this," I said, hoping that the fact he couldn't directly see my face, or my eyes, would give me some sort of advantage in this argument. But I knew it was in vain.

"Drake, we've talked about this… You promised me, ever since the situation with Brad, that you would _talk _to me. I just want to make sure you're staying safe. Ever since Tommy got sick, I—" he began, but I cut him off.

"Adam, please. Brad had threatened my life and my family. I'm sure that, if I'd let it go on long enough, he would've threatened you or Tommy, as well. Back then, people were in danger. Now, there is nothing. It was just a servant." I seethed as gently as I could, feeling the stress of recent events beginning to pile themselves up on my subconscious and I sighed heavily, the beginnings of a headache trying to eat their way into my skull.

"Why are you being so difficult? A name, baby, please." I sighed again, rolling my eyes.

"Why is this so important to you, Adam? It was _no one_." I argued.

"If it was no one, why won't you give me a name?" Adam questioned. I bit down on my lip for a brief moment before being unable to keep the words back.

"Because he told me not to tell you—" I snapped my mouth shut, clenching my jaw and staring hard as the statue of my little sister with the kitten. How I wished I could've snapped my fingers and made that statue come to life. I'd even paint her just as beautifully as she looked before…

"Who, Drake? What servant doesn't want me to know their name?" Adam asked carefully, choosing his words like he was choosing his strategy for war. I knew I'd said too much already, and with this new evidence, Adam wasn't going to let this conversation end until he won. Oh, Adam, you can win a battle but you can't always win the war… But something told me this was a war that was slipping through my fingertips.

"It was no one, Adam. Please, just leave it be," I said in a huff, pulling myself from his arms to stand to my feet. Alex had told me not to say anything on his behalf, and I was determined to keep it that way. But keeping something like this from Adam wasn't exactly easy. While the idea of Alex being alive and, potentially, coming to the palace frightened me, even only a little, I could not deny Adam the choice of having him back to stay. I could not deny him, at least, the pleasure of having the friend if not the lover…

"Drake…" Adam whispered, standing up. His hand reached out to take a gentle hold of my chin and he raised my eyes to meet his. Deep blue oceans swirling with concern and the need to know… I sighed softly, looking away from him.

"I can't…" I told him, feeling my heart clench in my chest. Adam's grip on my chin tightened, and I could feel him shaking a little.

"Don't say that, Drake… Don't say those words…" Under any other circumstance, I would have wondered why. But the last time he tried to pry something important from me and I'd said I couldn't say, we both ended up hurt in all the worst ways. Was it really so wrong for him to know about Alex? True, Alex's request to be unknown to Adam puzzled me, but I had no time to question it.

"I'm sorry…" I whispered, pulling myself from his hold, beginning to turn away.

"Damnit, Drake!" Adam hissed, grabbing my shoulders and pulling me back to him. His eyes were narrowed and dangerous, but they were not cruel. "Why can't you tell me!" I stared hard at him, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Why is this so important to you?" Adam sighed heavily, but his grip on me did not relax any.

"I value the honesty between us. It's something most couples these days don't have much of. I just want your honesty, trust and love, Drake. That's all. And you keeping this from me is threatening that trust…" He told me, his words firing through my heart like hot blades. A gasp sucked itself between my lips and I trembled. I never wanted to compromise anything, but… Alex begged…

"You wouldn't understand…" I shook my head, "I doubt you would believe me if I told you, anyway…" I whispered under my breath, looking away from Adam again. His hands loosened, sliding up to cup my face tenderly, bringing my gaze back up to meet his again.

"Baby, please…" He pleaded. I could feel my heart cracking in my chest, and I wasn't sure if it was because I had forced Adam to reduce to begging for this knowledge or for the fact that I was betraying the word of a man I'd only known, face to face, for a few moments but knew everything about.

"The man… The man that I met the other day… It.." I inhaled, swallowing the lump in my throat before staring up into Adam's eyes, "It was Alexander."


	23. Cause You're the Only Hope For Me

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Can I Be the Only Hope For You, Cause You're the Only Hope For Me  
Adam's POV**

Drake's confession left me a little unnerved. I knew Drake would never actually lie to my face. He would sometimes refuse to talk to me, like he did with Brad and then with not telling me who he had met in the gardens. But… Alexander couldn't really be alive. It wasn't possible.

Alexander was _not_ alive.

I, of all people, would have known that! He died in my arms, for Ra's sake! I wasn't accusing Drake of lying, but it couldn't possibly be true. Maybe it was just someone who looked like Drake and he jumped to some sort of insane conclusion. Then again, Drake told me that when he said "Alexander?" to the man, he addressed him as if that was who he was. He begged Drake not to tell me about him. Why? That confused me. If Alexander was alive all this time, why wouldn't he have come back? We had been so deeply in love! Why wouldn't he have come back to me?

And, if he was alive, how was it possible that I, along with everyone else, believed that he was dead? He died _in my arms!_ I didn't just imagine that! I felt the life leave his body and I cried for days upon days at my loss. Alexander was dead and if he wasn't dead, there had been some extreme medication involved to get him to a state where he appeared to be gone but was really still alive.

I didn't want to believe any of this. If Alexander was alive, I had been living a lie for almost a decade. I didn't want to believe that he was still here and, if he truly was, did Drake actually lie to me about him begging Drake not to tell me about him? Let's face it, if Alexander was still alive and Drake knew, he was liable to feel threatened by the reappearance of my first love. What if he felt that, if he told me, I would leave him and seek out my original lover instead?

I hated believing Drake would do something so selfish. He wasn't a selfish person in the slightest, aside from the time he destroyed Alexander's statue. Thinking about that really didn't help. If Drake had hated Alexander so much then, his hatred could increase tenfold now. But… no, that wasn't fucking true! Drake didn't hate Alexander, he was jealous of him and afraid of him. He rebuilt that statue to be even more beautiful that it had been originally! He did that out of all the love in his heart. Surely he didn't hate Alexander so much…

Drake went to bed shortly after admitting who he had been talking to. I searched his eyes for any signs of lying to me, but I couldn't find any traces of untruthfulness. He looked like he was ready to cry as he disappeared into his studio. I wanted to go to bed with him, try to comfort him, maybe, but I was far too confused to do anything for myself, let alone him. Right now, I needed to just think.

For a while, I sat staring at the statue of Drake's little sister. I wished dearly that she was still alive. I would have loved to have her running around my palace… She brought me peace for a while, but eventually everything Drake had told me was too overpowering. I was fidgeting and twitching. I couldn't sit still any longer and I stood, pushing my way back into the palace. The sun had long since set and I wondered just how long I had been sitting in the gardens.

My path was clear the moment I stepped into the corridor of the palace. I needed to talk to Alexander. Well, the object that represented Alexander, anyway. Lately I hadn't really gone to talk to him much due to being naturally busy as the Pharaoh of Egypt, but also because I had Drake. I was in love again and I was married to this love. I spent any and all free time with him and, as ashamed as I was to admit it, Alexander had been put on a back burner. I missed him greatly, but he wasn't the only person I ever loved anymore. My love for Drake burned just as passionately as my love for Alexander's had, perhaps even more so…

Right now, a trip to the library was crucial. Even if to give me some sort of false relief to my out of control mind, I didn't care. I just needed my thoughts and my confusion to stop racing around my already-overly stressed brain. Maybe talking to the peacock statue that still stood proudly in the library would calm me down enough to return to my chambers and curl up with Drake. Tonight was not the sort of night to make endless hours of love to the boy, but holding him tightly sounded nice. Sleeping with him curled up against me sounded like perfection.

But I was too confused and wound up to even dream of sleeping right now.

My sandals slapped the stones of the corridor a little louder than I would have liked. I hoped I wasn't disturbing anyone who was attempting to get some sleep for themselves, but I couldn't help that I was more jogging than walking to the library. My heart was pounding, I felt desperate and I had no idea as to why.

When the large, wooden slabs that made up the library doors came into view, my heart was going a mile a minute in my chest. I paused, putting my hands on the smooth wood before pushing them open. I took deep, even breaths, trying to control my heartbeat, but nothing I did was able to calm it.

The library itself hung in an eerie silence. It left me a little chilled, but I pushed the door shut behind me and locked it like it was any other visit to Alexander. Normally the library was left open for anyone in the palace to use, but when I came to visit Alexander, I tended to lock people out so it would just be me and him.

The statue stood in the center of the library, as if had every other day since it had been built, minus the month it took to rebuild it after Brad fucked everything over for the final time. I walked over to the majestic bird, sitting down on the base of the statue and looking up. I used to sit on the rug placed in front of the peacock, to get a better view of it, but that had been one of the two locations where Bradley, my old adviser, had raped my husband. I had the rug burned, but the memory of what had happened still lingered in that area.

"Alex…" I whispered up to the bird as I leaned against its legs. I wrapped my arms around them, as if I were hugging Alexander himself instead of a cold, unfeeling statue. "Drake told me that he met you in the gardens a few days ago. I… want it to be true, but how could it possibly be true? You died in my arms… and, even if you weren't dead, we couldn't be together. I'm in love with Drake…" I whispered, closing my eyes and resting my head against the cool statue. It was calming to my feverish (and when I say that, I mean hot, not sick) skin.

I waited for a few minutes, as if the bird would come to life and respond to me. I could almost picture Alex sitting next to me with a gentle smile on his face and a comforting hand on my knee. _"It doesn't matter if we can't be together. Drake loves you and you love him too. You should be with him."_ That sounded exactly like something he would have said to me, too.

"Alex…" I whispered again, opening my eyes to look up at the bird's rich, ocean eyes. "If you aren't dead, why haven't you come to see me? Why… haven't you tried to come back so we could have been together? Before I found Drake, I suffered heartache over losing you every minute of every day. Why didn't you come back? Didn't you want to be with me again?" I mumbled, feeling tears stinging my eyes. Why wouldn't he have wanted to be with me again?

Unless… Unless that's truly why he didn't come back. He didn't want to be with me anymore. Would that have explained why he…

"Did you fake your death to get away from me, Alex?" I muttered miserably. I never wanted to believe that something like that was true. Alexander and I were madly in love! He wouldn't have just run out on me like that. He loved me, right? He wouldn't have tried to get away from me by crushing my heart with his death! "If you truly wanted to be released from me, all you had to do was say so, Alex… It would have hurt to let you go but I would have! It would have been easier than thinking you died!" I cried, clinging tightly to the statue. Surely none of that was true. Alex loved me, he _loved_ me.

There had to be another explanation for what happened.

It still seemed unlikely that Alexander was even alive, but I found myself already believing it was true. Drake wouldn't have lied to me about meeting Alexander, and if he was convinced that the man he met was Alex, then it probably was. Maybe it was a fucking ghost, who knows? Drake wouldn't have played with my emotions like that and, if Alexander wasn't alive, why would he even say that? It would just start problems between us anyway.

Again the library fell into an extremely uncomfortable silence. I swore that I could hear my own heart thrashing in my chest. "Please Ra… Have mercy and send me some sort of sign! I simply cannot deal with this!" I cried. "I have to know the truth. Drake wouldn't lie to me, he wouldn't! That means that almost everything else over these ten years was a lie and I… I have to know!" I cried, practically screaming at the ceiling. Surely the Gods could hear me. Was this their sick sense of humor kicking in or something?

I waited for the Gods to answer me but I was greeted with a rather loud shattering noise from behind me. At first I thought of Drake tearing apart the library three years ago. Only this time it wasn't the same. Only one thing had shattered, instead of the entire library. I jumped to my feet, my eyes scanning every inch of the library.

There was a small display table set up between two large bookcases that had been knocked over. A few vases lay shattered on the stone floor with water and wilting flowers mixed among the miniature destruction. Whoever knocked it over clearly wasn't there anymore but the door hadn't opened, so they were still here, probably hiding among the bookcases.

Frowning, I approached the shelves around the knocked over table first. Glancing down every aisle as quickly as possible. I didn't want to chance losing whoever was in here. I'd gotten half way down the rows when I heard a _thud_ and a soft gasp. I whipped around on my heels, seeing the glimpse of creamy skin and chocolate colored locks. At first I thought it was Drake, but this man had none of the tattoos that Drake's skin sported. This man's hair was also a little shorter than Drake's, who was in need of a cut, much like myself.

My throat closed up. "Wait!" I called, my heart pounding in my chest. It couldn't really be…? "Stop!" The man stopped in mid step, hesitating before running for the door again. I chased after him. He was just unlocking the door when my hand closed around his arm, pulling him back. "Please… Just stop for a moment," I said, huffing a few times to catch my breath.

The man was ridged, stiff in my arms. He was staring at the wood of the door, his hair covering his face like a dark curtain. I took his shoulders into my hands and turned him around. He was the same height as Drake and he had an almost identical build. I was shaking softly as I reached up, pushing the man's hair out of his face.

I was speechless for several long minutes.

"Alexander?" I whispered, taking a step back. Alex stared at me with deep blue eyes like Drake's, only older. "Alex…"

He bit his lip hard, glancing away from me. "Adam…" he whispered back.

I could only stare at him. He even sounded exactly the same. My memories of him never faded, even with finding Drake. I had known everything there was to know about Alexander and if I remembered it, then it was definitely true. "How…?" I finally managed to squeak out.

Alexander bit his lip for a long time, probably bruising it, before he looked up at me. "Brad," he said and I felt my heart fall from my chest. Drake and Anna weren't Brad's only victims? That… shouldn't have been as shocking as it was. Brad didn't just become evil. He was probably always like that, he was just good at hiding it. He hadn't just preyed on my new lover but my original as well? How many other people had Brad tortured?

"What do you mean?" I asked, my bottom lip quivering softly.

"I didn't die ten years ago, I was injected with some sort of chemical that slowed my heart beat enough to make it seem like I was dead. The change was gradual, so it seemed like I was dying…" he explained. "I woke up about a week after it was declared I was dead. I was in a little house and Brad was with me. He…" Alexander looked away from me again, tears building up into his eyes. I had an instant flashback of the night Drake finally told me that Brad had been hurting him, raping him…

"He what, Alex?" I whispered, cupping his cheek in my hand. I brushed his tears away with my thumb as he began to tremble.

"He took out a knife and he told me that everyone thought I'd been dead for a week…" he started. "He told me that you were an emotional wreck and that, within a few weeks time you wouldn't be able to function enough to run the country. He walked over to where I was laying… He had me cuffed to the wall and I was almost completely naked, nothing but a skimpy pair of shorts on…" He stopped, his eyes searching mine for a moment. "He pulled my shorts off and he carved the tattoos on my hips off of my skin…" My heart stopped in my chest. The tattoos that Drake now had on his hips, Alexander had when we were together.

New tears began to pull out of Alexander's eyes. "He told me I wasn't yours anymore and that I was his. I was screaming, crying and begging him to stop but he wouldn't. He raped me that night and he left me locked in that room…" He took a shaky breath, trying not to break down into sobs. "He kept me locked in that place for what I eventually found out to be over three years…"

"Why didn't you come back? Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, my eyes pleading. I needed to know _why_.

"When I finally got away from Brad, I went back to the palace, but I saw you with that blond. From a distance, you looked happy. I saw the statue you built for me and I saw your tears for me, but I thought you loved that blond… And I was terrified of Brad. I stayed close enough to make sure Brad wasn't hurting other people, but I couldn't confront him and I couldn't possibly dream of coming between you and a new lover," he said, his eyes locking onto mine.

"Tommy? Tommy wasn't my lover… He was-" he cut me off.

"Your pleasure servant, I know. I didn't know that until you found Drake though. When you kept Drake, I thought you were using him to finally get over me. I saw how happy that beautiful boy made you and how crushed you were when you thought he ran away…" he mumbled, closing his eyes for only a moment. "I knew you were in love with him. I wasn't going to come between you and Drake. He was too precious to try to replace. Then I found out that Brad was being executed for abusing Drake the same way he did to me. It broke my heart…"

So Alexander was attached to Drake without even really knowing him. He had been acting as a sort of guardian angel for not only me, but everyone close to me. "You went to his execution?" I asked. Alex nodded.

"I wanted to come to you to tell you about Brad. I wanted to thousands of times but I was far too afraid of him. Once you was finally figured out, I didn't see any reason to come back. You were in love with Drake and I couldn't blame you. He's… truly the perfect boy. If I came back and, by some chance, you left Drake for me, I would never forgive myself. It would crush that boy…" he said. I nodded, knowing that was true. If I left Drake, I believed he would never recover from the feeling of heartbreak and betrayal. "You were happy, that was all that mattered." He didn't sound like he regretted his decisions at all. It sounded like all he cared about was that I was happy.

I took Alexander's hand in mine and took him over to a few chairs in the library. "Why did you ask Drake not to tell me about you?"

He frowned. "I should have figured he would crack… He loves you too much to keep things from you," he muttered. "I didn't really want you to know because I was afraid of ruining your relationship with that boy…. I'm sorry, Adam…"


	24. It's Just Like Déjà Vu

**Chapter Twenty-Three: It's Just Like Déjà Vu, Me Standing Here With You…  
Alexander's POV**

I thought I had been getting by in the passing years by merely watching Adam from a distance, secretly protecting him as much as I could. I thought it had always been enough to watch him be happy with other people, to see him smiling and laughing like he used to, even if it wasn't because of me. Perhaps I relied too heavily on cherishing him from a distance when I could've done more for him. Been more for him. I could've gone back to him. My love for him was endless, yes. But my fear was just as endless.

My fear, though, was not of raising question at my being "brought back" from death, as some people would have seen fit for me. It was not of being looked upon differently for being in a grave or a tomb for several years only to appear again as if time had done nothing to me. My fear was in the heart, or lack thereof, of Brad. My fear was his doing. While he was around, I could never go back to Adam.

I wish, though, that I could have been braver. I wish that I could have faced my fear of Brad and gone back to Adam's side where I belonged. But I couldn't do it. I didn't want to give Brad any initiative to, really, kill me or cause harm to Adam. Though, had he not caused harm enough when Adam believed me to be dead? Had that not been heartache and suffering enough?

Though, the three years I spent with Brad had to have been the most terrifying experience of my life. Three years I would never get back from that monster, no matter how long I lived. Three years of abuse, rape, endless torture and endless wishes to die only to live to see another day, over and over. I couldn't remember how many times I contemplated killing myself because of him. I could only remember the pain. The misery. The shame.

Oh, the shame had been so great. Letting myself succumb to Brad because I felt no hope in ever being free. The shame of knowing that my body enjoyed him. While my heart loathed him and my soul would never belong to him, my body recognized pleasure from the years I'd spent with Adam. It recognized being kissed, caressed, groped, pleasured and teased. It recognized and loved it all even if my heart knew it was always so wrong. The shame lie with my body…

I don't know how I managed to escape. Had Brad not been paying attention? Or had I just been cunning enough to realize that the monster, unknowingly, left the back door of that Ra-forsaken small house unlocked one day while he was out at the palace? I couldn't remember. I could only remember that I tried the door and he wasn't around and I ran like a madman to escape the haunting memories, knowing it would be stupid to return to the palace, no matter how much my heart ached for it.

But I did, anyway. I did and I saw Adam with the blond— Tommy, who was more beautiful than any other man I'd ever seen, apart from Adam— and, while my heart was crushed that I was no longer in his eyes, I could not jump in and expect to be taken back so quickly. I had rushed into the conclusion that they were lovers and that I was no more for Adam. I should have seen it, though, that Adam still had his tattoos on his hips and Tommy had none… That didn't process with me, though. I only saw their connection, and that was all I needed.

Still, though, I stayed away. I stayed away for several years; even when Drake had been brought to the palace before Adam, being chosen without hesitation. The first time I saw Drake, from the usual distance, I knew that he'd been chosen, mostly, for his resemblance to me. Was Adam trying to, still, get over me? Perhaps, at the time, yes. I could see in his eye, during those first few weeks with Drake that Adam only saw me in him, when I was eighteen again.

Even still, my image faded from his eyes as he fell for Drake. I could not blame him for loving Drake; the boy was perfect. Shy, innocent, bashful and yet so willing to learn and to accept his place as Adam's pleasure servant and, eventual, lover. So willing to put himself into the hands of Adam and Tommy, into their trust so that he could trust them in return.

From my distance, Drake fascinated me. He looked like me in every which way, but, I learned, that he was not me at all, either. He was more of the artistic type, I was more of the diplomatic type. We suited Adam perfectly in our own, unique way. But… Drake was perfect. I watched him fill the void that I'd left behind and, yet, claim Adam's heart— even all the parts that I couldn't.

Perhaps my fascination was a little deeper than I gave it credit for. I had not been witness to most of Drake's abuse, but I'd been in the market the day he and Tommy had gone— I saw them browsing— and I watched Brad grab Drake by the arm, pulling him away from Tommy. At the sight of that monster, taking another precious loved one of Adam's away, I knew I needed to do something… But, like it always had, my fear stopped me. My fear of Brad kept me from saving Drake…

It broke my heart, knowing that Drake was victim to what Brad had done to me. Knowing that he was being torn apart at the seams. Knowing that he was, more than likely, too terrified to tell Adam what was happening to him. After all, Brad was Adam's _trusted_ adviser, right? Though, more than my heartache at knowing Drake was, in more than one sense, just like me, I was enraged. I wanted nothing more than to hunt Brad down for myself and tear him apart for what he was doing, not only to Drake, but to Adam. To repeat his ways and try to tear Adam down again…

So many times… So many times, I wanted to tell Adam about Brad. About his traitorous schemes and his backstabbing crimes. So many times I wanted to go to Adam and tell him to have Brad executed for his plots to overthrow him and being Pharaoh. Brad was always power hungry. He'd told me, while I was locked up, that my death was going to be a sure fire stab to Adam's heart. That my death would be so traumatic that he wouldn't be able to rule Egypt. And, being that Adam had no children and no living relatives to know of, if he'd become ill-fit to rule, the advisers would step in until a replacement could be crowned.

Brad had planned to be that replacement. He wanted to tear Adam's Egypt apart and rebuild it as a dictatorship. He wanted slavery. He wanted power and wealth. He wanted things that Adam had been working so hard to change. To think that someone so cruel, so vicious and deceitful was so close to power already…

Needless to say, I was more than overjoyed when I watched Brad's execution. Watching him meet his fate before the Gods and all of Egypt. Watching him suffer for mine, Drake's and a young girl's suffering… My only regret was that I could not have gone before him, one last time, before his death to sneer in his face and spit on him. But I had to keep myself away. While I wanted Brad to see that I was alive and well, I couldn't risk Cassidy seeing me…

So, for another three years I stayed at a distance, watching Drake and Adam grow closer, watching Drake and Tommy stay close as they could be. Watching the love in Adam's heart grow and grow until I was sure that he would burst from such passion. Watching as they planned a wedding. A wedding that I'd always imagined sharing with Adam but had been torn away from…

Their love kept me away. But their marriage was what told me I needed to move on. Adam was happy and so balls deep with love that I had no place for him… Only, that wasn't true. I still had a place for him… The statue that he'd made for me in the library was his place for me. He knew I had a thing for peacocks, and he'd even made the bird's eyes blue enough to compete with my own.

I thought the distance had been enough, but being in the library, feeling Adam's hand on my arm told me otherwise. I shivered when he grabbed me, my heart skipping beats when he told me to wait. I told myself that I couldn't turn and leap into his arms like I wanted to. He wasn't mine anymore. He belonged to Drake just as much as Drake belonged to him. Adam still had his tattoos, but he'd also given them to Drake. And I no longer had mine. I wasn't Adam's anymore. He wasn't mine.

He gently took hold my shoulders, turning me back to face him. I kept my head bowed, not wanting to show my face. But, if anyone else would have walked in, they would have thought I was bowing my head out of respect. My hair, overgrown and in need of a trim, at least, curtained my face, hiding me from Adam. But, I knew, it wasn't going to last. He wanted to know. I could feel it radiating from him.

He brushed my hair out of my face, his fingers trembling lightly as he did so. His eyes studied my face, as if committing what had changed to the memory he already had of me. He was at a loss for words for several moments and, to be honest, so was I. I had always dreamed of being with Adam, being close to him, since I'd spent years being at a distance, but I'd never actually imagined that I'd feel his the weight of his gaze on me again. It hadn't happened in ten years.

But ten years had done nothing, almost. Adam looked the same, just wiser. His skin still glowed, his hair still shined, his eyes still held compassion and love and faith. He was still Adam, and I was still me. It was like ten years had not passed and we were lovers again…

"Alexander?" He whispered, disbelief in his tone. Even with me in his hands, staring up at him, he still didn't believe my existence. I couldn't blame him, though. He'd known me to be dead for ten years.

Shameful as it was, I'd been in the library to marvel at the statue he'd made for me when I heard him enter the massiveness of the room. I'd hidden in the comfort of shadows of bookcases, watching him as he knelt before the statue to speak to it as if it were me. I'd never been part of his conversations with the bird, but it was like watching from above a conversation of the two of us. He spoke like I was responding. He spoke like he knew what I would say…

Hearing him question my death and wonder if I'd faked it, myself, to get away from him hurt. I would never have… The moment I met Adam, when we were eighteen, I fell in love immediately. Sure, he was the Pharaoh of all of Egypt and heavily instructed by his father, but I loved him. I loved him more than I'd loved my own family, more than anyone I had ever known in my life. Hearing him say that he thought I'd faked it all on my own was like a knife through my chest, but I knew that he was conflicted.

While he spoke, I got closer and closer, wanting to reach out and touch him. Wanting to actually _speak_ to him! I had every right to desire a conversation with him! I was taken from him under the guise of death! I hadn't spoken to him, touched him, hugged him, kissed him or loved him in ten years. And to have him so close and _alone_ was almost too much to bear. Brad was gone, what harm was there?

And then I had to run into the fucking side table.

I fled, instantly, upon bumping into it. I was halfway down the aisle of books before the vase shattered down the floor and I knew that I would be a good distance from the area before Adam could even turn around. But that hadn't stopped my racing heart and to hear his footfalls so close behind me; I could almost feel his breath on my neck.

"Alex…" His eyes began to recognize me and I swallowed the lump in my throat, staring back into his, my heart melting in my chest.

"Adam." I replied, barely trusting my voice. But it was loud enough for Adam to hear and to understand that I wasn't some sort of illusion. That I was real. Alive. Standing before him and in his grasp.

He asked me how and I spilled my story, telling him of Brad drugging me and kidnapping me, carving out the tattoos of "lover" from my hips, breaking the bond that I had with Adam and our love. I told him that I had become Brad's sex slave, his little puppet for three years before escaping. I told him how badly I wanted to return to him, but that I was afraid of Brad and I knew that I couldn't come between him and any lover he would have.

I told him that all that mattered to me was his happiness and that I didn't dare try to go between him and Drake. There was a part of me that had grown attached to Drake, that had become protective of him since he endured the same things I had. I couldn't risk my love for Adam to divide them when Drake was so head over heels for Adam.

Adam took my hand in his, pulling me through the library to a set of chairs, sitting down with me across from him. He asked me why I'd asked Drake not to tell him and I sighed softly, frowning. Part of me had feared that Drake was going to tell Adam, but I couldn't put it past him, all the same. Their love was strong, and with love came the necessity of honesty and trust.

"I should have figured he would crack… He loves you too much to keep things from you," I told him, my voice soft. "I didn't really want you to know because I was afraid of ruining your relationship with that boy… I'm sorry, Adam." I said, looking away from him. Adam shook his head a little bit, squeezing my hand in his.

"Alex… I love you… I've always loved you and I will continue to love you, but Drake is my husband. You should not have had to fear ruining our relationship. Drake knows that I wouldn't leave him.." Adam spoke carefully, no doubt cautious of hurting me. He didn't in the least. I understood completely.

"I just… I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't braver. I'm sorry I…" I shook my head, tears stinging my eyes again. One spilled over, rolling down my cheek. Adam reached over, wiping it away with the pads of his fingers.

I knew it was no longer my place, but I missed him and I wanted him. I leaned into the touch for a moment, reminiscing on all the passionate nights and playful moments that we had together. The tenderness of our love before I remembered that he was a married, devoted man and I pulled away, feeling my face heat up a little bit as I wiped away the remainder of my tears.

"Alex, you shouldn't.. You don't have to feel upset about this." Adam said, his voice so low it was almost a whisper. I looked over at him, staring into his eyes in the darkness of the library. After ten years, Adam hadn't changed a bit other than the fact he'd gotten a little older, a little wiser…

"Is that what you told Drake when he confessed to what Brad had done to him?" I asked quietly. I meant nothing harmful about it. I was only curious. Adam blinked for a moment before chuckling softly.

"Yes, I did, Alex." He said, and I chuckled in return. Adam stared at me with a pleasant smile in his face and he sighed softly, shifting in his chair to face me a little more than before. I felt my cheeks flame with a delicate blush and I looked away for a moment. But that didn't lessen the weight of Adam's eyes on me. I should have known this would happen if we were to meet again, but the idea never crossed my mind. And now that I was here, I wasn't sure what to do…

"I've missed you," he whispered to me. I looked back up at him, smiling faintly as I reached out, taking his hands in mine.

"I've missed you…" I admitted, smiling shyly at him.

"Adam?" My heart stopped in my chest and I let go of Adam's hands almost immediately. I didn't know Drake very well, but his voice was very distinct. On top of embarrassment, I felt shame. It had been my hope that, if I were to ever get mingled back into Adam's life, I would be on Drake's good side. After all, I was Adam's first love…

I really didn't want to compromise everything so soon…


	25. My Love Will Drive Away The Sunshine

**Chapter Twenty-Four: My Love Will Drive Away the Sunshine  
Drake's POV**

I'd gone to bed almost immediately after I admitted to Adam that I met Alexander in the gardens. I knew he didn't believe me and that hurt enough, but knowing that there was a chance that his feelings for Alexander were resurfacing? That was just as painful as Adam believing I was lying to him.

I was exhausted and I was drained, but the reason I said I was going to bed so early was mostly to get away from Adam for a while. I loved him, of course, but the atmosphere was too thick for me to even breathe. With everything else that had been going on lately, this wasn't really helping anything.

So I pulled myself into the palace, tears stinging my eyes for reasons that, by themselves, shouldn't have caused a break down, but bunched up together sent me into a state of uncontrollable emotions. Better anguish and depression than anger and rage, I supposed. It could have been worse. I could have been lashing out at people, hurting people. That wasn't me. I'd rather sit alone and cry.

Stripping out of one of the many outfits that Adam usually drooled over, I pulled on loose fitting shorts and crawled into the massive bed alone. It was sad to think that love had not been made on these sheets in quite some time. If I remembered correctly, the last time Adam and I had truly gotten to make love was on our wedding night. All the stress of the last few weeks just killed our sexual appetite. What energy was ever left for such activities?

The silence of the room was almost disturbing. I'd never gone to bed alone before and being in such a massive bed, alone, wasn't comforting. I wanted Adam's toned arms around my waist and I wanted to use him as a pillow instead of actual pillows. I wanted to fall asleep to the beating of his heart and the evenness of his breathing, but because I had left him in the gardens, I had no comforting sounds to lull me to sleep.

Eventually my racing thoughts, the silent tears streaming down my cheeks and into my hair and pillows, and the eerie silence of the room was just way too much for me to handle. I sat up, quickly pushing the tears off of my cheeks and jumping out of bed. I pulled a cream colored over shirt from the wardrobe on one side of the massive wardrobe. There was an identical one on the other side for Adam's clothes and the vanity had two chairs, in case we, for whatever reason, needed to do makeup at the same time.

I pulled the shirt on, rolling the cuffs up to my elbows and left it unbuttoned. Most of the palace would be asleep by now, so I didn't have to worry about too many people staring at my exposed torso, not that I wasn't already used to it. My clothes were usually more revealing… I left the room with no further preparation.

There was little doubt in my mind as to where Adam was located. I was so positive that he was in the library, I would have bet a million gold pieces on it. I didn't check anywhere else on my way to the library. A few servants were still up, attempting to clean while no one was around to run it and what not, but I ignored all of them. They would bow at my new found title, but even before I was the Pharaoh's husband they bowed their heads at me. It was something I never truly got used to but I ignored it a lot of the time, especially now.

Once the doors to the library came into view, I found myself holding my breath. I couldn't exactly tell you why, but I couldn't breathe right. I needed to apologize to Adam or something, even though I did nothing wrong and had absolutely nothing to apologize for. I needed to just get him to come to bed. We both needed to calm down and get a good night's rest. I wasn't going to accomplish that by trying to sleep alone in that massive room. It was just too overwhelming.

I turned the handle and slowly pushed the door open. I was a little wary that maybe I had been wrong in my assumptions because Adam usually locked the door when he was in the library with Alexander. I didn't, truly, understand the need to lock himself in, but I wasn't ever going to mention that to him. It wasn't my place. I peaked in, not seeing anything but darkness and shadows cast from the bookshelves by moonlight. I turned to leave, but I heard a soft voice speaking and almost immediately recognized it as my husband's.

"Adam?" I called, pushing the door open even to allow myself to slip through. I didn't bother closing the door as I walked in the direction of the voice. The library was never a place that I truly liked to be for long periods of time, especially by myself. It was a mixture of Alexander's lingering presence and the memory of what Brad had done to me in front of his statue. I didn't feel comfortable in the library and, generally, when I came here, I took what I needed from the shelves, so I could take my work elsewhere.

That didn't stop me from knowing the entire layout of the library by heart. I wandered towards the sitting area a few meters away from Alexander's statue. I expected to see Adam sitting with the peacock in the ring, but the statue was abandoned. That really only left the sitting area. What I expected to find was a conflicted Adam, trying to sort things out. Perhaps trying to find comfort in a book or something, but I never expected him to find him with someone else.

The first image that greeted me was Adam and a smaller man scooting back in their chairs, as if they had just pulled away from each other. The second thing that I saw was not Adam's face or anything about Adam at all, but chocolate hair raining down around a beautiful face that matched mine in grace but exceeded mine in years.

I didn't want to come off as selfish or rude or one to jump the gun, but the moment my eyes fell on Alexander, a familiar burning hatred coursed through my blood. The only other time I ever remembered feeling like this was when Brad had first told me about Alexander, the day before his execution. They day I had completely destroyed the library and run away from the palace… That day I had not been able to control my anger. It consumed me. Today I had much more control over myself and the anger coursing through me was a mere ghost of what it had been three years ago.

"Drake," Adam said, standing from his chair the instant his eyes fell on me. I wondered if my face betrayed my emotions to him, or if he was just shocked to see me and didn't want me to think that he and Alexander were doing anything they shouldn't. "Honey, I thought you went to bed…" he whispered, cupping my face in his hands. He wanted me to look at him, but I was staring past him, at Alexander.

"I couldn't sleep in that giant bed alone," I told him, frowning a little. "But I didn't realize you had company…" My eyes were locked on the brunette just a short distance away. Seeing him in the gardens was one thing. That was open to the public, and while I felt that it wasn't exactly his place to be so close to the palace when he wasn't part of it anymore, I had no room to say anything, but to be _inside_ the palace? That angered me. This wasn't his home anymore, it was mine.

Adam wasn't his anymore, he was _mine_. The ring on my left hand and the crown that I wore to official affairs were mere tokens of the fact that Adam and I _belonged_ to each other.

"I didn't expect to find Alex…" he whispered. For some reason, shortening Alexander's name annoyed me too because it was a form of a pet name. He'd always referred to him as Alexander while tell me about him but now he was just "Alex"? "I just came here to think for a while and he was in here. We just ran into each other…" Alexander was in the palace without being invited in? Was I the only person who had a problem with this? Apparently so… Of course Adam didn't have a fucking problem with it…

"Well, it's late… So I think it's probably time for bed," I said, as softly and as kindly as I could, but I wasn't feeling very kind. I wanted to know what they were talking about before I came in. I wanted to know why they were _pulling away from each other_ when I came in. Surely… surely they hadn't been kissing or something. Adam wouldn't do that to me, right?

_Now that he's seen Alexander, you may only be second best. For all you know, you could be getting a divorce tomorrow so Adam can return to his true love._ I almost choked at that damned voice lingering in the back of my head. I couldn't really believe that Adam didn't love me, could I? He'd given me everything, taken care of me. He promised that his original love for Alexander didn't stop him from loving me just as much. He said "if not more". Adam said that! At the time he sounded so sincere about it but that was when he thought Alexander was dead. Of course it was easy to say then…

"Alright baby," he whispered, pressing his lips to my forehead before turning to face Alexander. "Why don't you come with us? I'll take you to a guest room." I wanted to hit him. He shouldn't have made a decision to let him stay like that. I had just as much say in who our company was and I wasn't sure I could deal with having Alexander so close all the time. What if Adam really did leave me to go back to him? Or worse, was with him behind my back?

Alexander glanced at me, seeming a little uncertain before he nodded, pushing himself out of the chair and to his feet. "Alright. Thank you. I'll… be on my way first thing in the morning," he said, joining us. Relief washed through me.

Until Adam spoke, that is. "Oh no, Alex, please stay. Join us for breakfast and we'll… figure things out from there," Adam said. Alexander looked at me for a moment as my eyes narrowed. I wanted to protest, but I didn't. Alexander looked like he was conflicted but, like me, he couldn't deny Adam's request.

"Alright Ad- My Pharaoh," he said. Adam frowned at him but I simply tugged Adam's arm, pulling him out of the library. Now I loathed this room even more than I did ten minutes ago. I hated feeling so hatful, but could I really be blamed? If Alexander was constantly around the palace, Adam would probably fall right back in love with him. I couldn't handle that. Adam was my entire life. I gave him everything. If I were to lose him? I wouldn't have anything left for me… Well, I would have Tommy but I couldn't just tell him something like 'well now that Adam dumped me, I'd be happy to be with you'. No, that was too cold and heartless.

Adam gave Alexander a guest room down the corridor, adjacent to the one our bedroom was on, and having him so close put me on edge even more. Adam wished him good night and they smiled at each other.

"Good night, Adam," he said and I could hear the love in his tone. Fucking hell… Alexander turned to me. "And good night to you too, Drake. I hope you won't be too uncomfortable with me staying here for a while…" he said, sounding sincere, but I really didn't fucking care how much it sounded like he meant what he said. I didn't like this at all.

It may have been rude, but I turned away from him without answering him or wishing him a good night. I imaged Adam giving him an apologetic look before following after me. I didn't stop to face him until we were in our bedroom with the door closed.

"That was rude, Drake…" Adam said, frowning at me.

I turned to face him. "Rude? No Adam, what was rude was inviting him to stay in our home without talking to me about it. I get that you're not completely over him. I get that… you probably never will be…" Fuck, that hurt so much to say. "I get it, alright? But can you think about how this makes me feel? Can you think about _my_ feelings for a moment?"

He sighed softly, walking over to me and wrapping his arms around my waist. "Baby, I know that this is awkward and everything. I know that, but Alex isn't going to come between us, I promise. Drake-" he paused, pulling me against him, his arms tightly around me. "I love you, Boo. You're my husband and I didn't marry you because I believed I would never get anything better. I married you because you are the _best_," he said, pressing his lips to my forehead before bending down a little to press his lips to mine.

I couldn't fight the moan that ripped itself from my throat. I was upset and I didn't want to just give into him like this, but I melted. He always had this affect on me, as much as I hated it sometimes, like right now. He pulled back, rubbing my cheek gently. "Does him being here really upset you?" he whispered, his forehead pressed to mine. How did he always make my heart soft? I couldn't ever deny him and, if he really wanted Alexander to stay, I would never truly be able to tell him no… That I firmly believed.

"No…" I lied, turning out of Adam's arms to walk over to the bed. "No it doesn't… Not that much…"


	26. There's Always Something Going Wrong

**Chapter Twenty-Five: There's Always Something Going Wrong**

**Adam's POV**

Part of me knew that Drake was lying when he said that he wasn't really bothered by Alex staying with us. Part of me didn't want to accept that he was lying, either, however I knew that I had to. I tried to keep in mind of his feelings and his fears of Alex's presence in the palace, I really did. But could I be blamed…? Alex had been dead— or, so I had been told— for ten years. Was it wrong of me to want him back in my life, even though he wouldn't be my lover?

I didn't like going to bed feeling the way that I did. Drake could try to hide his true feelings all he wanted, but I knew that he was upset. I could see it in the tension of his body and in his eyes. Not to mention how rude he was to Alex. Alex had, politely, bid Drake goodnight, and Drake just walked off. That hurt, and it hurt Alex, too. But I didn't want Drake to think that I was siding with Alex. I didn't want him to think that I was going to leave him or cheat on him, because I would never.

Needless to say, I feel asleep with a bit of a headache and woke up with one that was ten times worse. Drake was still snuggled up into my arms, his head on my chest. I ran my fingers through his hair, smiling softly to myself. In sleep, he looked so at peace. Like the past few weeks hadn't done a thing to him. Between our marriage and his family getting settled to Tommy getting sick and Alexander showing up..

I sighed softly, bending my head a little to kiss his skin. He shifted in my arms, snuggling closer to my side, but he did not wake. Even after three years, he was still a heavy sleeper. He was better about responding to certain touches in his sleep, but he wasn't as quick as Tommy. Tommy…

I eased myself from the comfort of Drake's cuddling, keeping sure not to wake him up as I slipped from the bed. I shuffled over towards my wardrobe, pulling the doors open quietly before snatching a loose fitting shirt from inside, slipping my arms into it. I was still in the trousers I wore yesterday, and I didn't bother to button the shirt in the least. I didn't bother with sandals, either.

Closing the doors again, I took a glance into the mirror of my vanity, fixing my hair a little before turning, seeing Drake still fast asleep on our massive bed. I smiled again, quietly making my way across the room and out of the large doors.

It was earlier than I thought it was. The sun was barely peaking itself above the Eastern horizon as I shut the doors of mine and Drake's chamber, letting my love sleep in peace. The sky was a soft pink in color, washing across and fading into blue as the sun came higher. I sighed softly, turning to my right before walking down the hall. My heart was in two different places— to Tommy or to Alex?

I decided to visit Tommy first. I hadn't gone to see him since his serving boy, Elijah, told us that he wasn't waking up. My heart clenched in my chest and I shook my head, fighting off the sting of tears. I was thankful that none of the servants were up and in this part of the palace yet. I did not wish to start crying and have them see me in such a weak state.

I reached Tommy's door, my hand curling around the handle before I pushed it open, stepping inside. The room was warm, but not unbearably so. The mural Drake had painted looking as fresh and vibrant as if he'd just put it there yesterday. Every time I saw it, it took my breath away. Drake's work was always so stunning and so masterful, even though he was so young.

I turned my attention to Tommy, seeing his eyes still shut in their slumber, his chest slowly rising and falling with breath. His arms were at his sides and his head perfectly centered on his pillow, facing up to the ceiling. My guess was that he hadn't moved since the doctor had checked on him a few days ago. Any sudden hope of his getting better deflated and I felt miserable.

Slowly, I made my way to Tommy's side, sitting on the edge of the bed next to him. I was so used to him rising at the smallest of sounds and simplest of touches that, when I touched his cheek and he didn't respond, I thought I was going to cry. A whimper fell off my lips and my heart clenched again.

Though Tommy and I were not, truly, the lovers that Drake and I were— that Alex and I used to be— he was still close to me; to my heart. He was my best friend. More trusted to me than anyone else, other than Cassidy and Brad, before I found out how fucked up he was. I swallowed the lump in my throat, trailing my fingertips along Tommy's jaw line. He may've been down with fever, but his body was still functioning. There was a touch of peach fuzz along his chin and jaw, making his skin stubbly.

"It's quiet without you around, Tommy… Too quiet, for my liking. Drake and I miss you terribly," I whispered to him, though I wasn't sure why. Maybe it was out of habit? He looked like he was sleeping— why not pretend that's all he's doing? Why not pretend he's only taking a nap instead of, potentially, dying…

"I miss seeing your smile. I miss hearing you laugh… I miss you, Tommy…" I said gently, taking Tommy's right hand in both of mine. His hands were cold, but the rest of him was warm or hot. I sighed softly, rubbing circles into the back of his palm with my thumb.

"It seems, though, out of all of this… That Alexander is back.. He's alive… I'm still trying to understand how— though he told me the story. It was Brad… Brad was behind his supposed-death. Shocking, huh?" I added with a sarcastic laugh, though it was forced and lifeless. Pointless. I sighed again.

"I spoke with him in the library— fitting, right?— and it was like nothing had changed. Like ten years hadn't passed and I'd never met you or Drake… Though, there was a lot less kissing and such… Not that I mind. I'm more than happy with Drake being my lover. So much more…" I said quietly, not hearing the click of the door before I heard a voice.

"Adam?" I turned, seeing Alex standing by the door, dressed in white trousers and a dark blue shirt— the same clothes I'd seen him in last night. I blinked once, my heart skipping a beat before going frantic in my chest. For a moment, I thought Drake had stepped into the room, but Alex did not have the tattoos that Drake had.

"Alex…" I whispered, my voice going no louder. Alex's eyes fell on Tommy's face and he frowned slightly.

"Tommy?" He suggested, and I nodded once, turning my attention back to the sickly blond. I heard Alex's footfalls on the stone floor before he joined my side, placing a hand on my shoulder, looking down at Tommy.

"He's sick. With a fever." I told Alex, my voice quiet and trembling lightly. Was this some sort of punishment of the Gods? Was I to lose Tommy— one of my best and closest friends— and gain an old lover back, though, at the added cost of my husband's happiness? Was I to suffer so much in so little of a time, shortly after the most beautiful and greatest night of my life?

Alex tensed beside me after I spoke, and he let out a shuddered breath. He knew, better than anyone, what it was like to be in Tommy's position. To be so sick like that. He knew what it was to be so weak and helpless. He knew what it was to slip into an embrace like that of Death's and come back from it. But how long did it take…?

"Is he going to be alright?" Alex asked, not looking at me. I sighed, blinking away the tears.

"I do not know. The doctor believes so, but he said that Tommy is in a comatose state, though, from the fever or something else, he's not sure." I explained, remembering the doctor's words very clearly, as if they were a haunting melody in my ears, constantly playing.

Alex reached forward, running his finger's along Tommy's cheek before stroking his hair gently, "He's beautiful. Even when he's ill…" Alex commented, an underlying tone in his voice that was unfamiliar and yet so familiar all the same. I glanced over at him, seeing a sort of distance in his eyes. But, whether that was from memories of his own fever or not, I couldn't tell.

He let his hand fall away before turning to me, "We should probably leave. It would not do well for you to get sick, too," he suggested, his hand slipping off of my shoulder. I frowned at the loss of his touch, but I didn't say anything. Yes, I missed him and I missed our love. But I was committed and I wasn't going to let an old fire compromise the blaze of love that I had now.

I stood from the edge of Tommy's bed, glancing down at him one more time before leaving with Alex. The silence and pressure of the room was more weight on my shoulders than I had given it credit for, because, when I left, my heart didn't feel nearly as heavy as it had. I sighed heavily, falling in step beside Alex as we walked down the hallway.

Still, few servants were about. Alex was tense at my side and, I knew, it was because he was back in the palace. Most of the servants would, no doubt, mistake him for being Drake; they were young. But there were some who had been serving since my father's reign. They would remember Alex. And they would, probably, faint at the sight of him, being alive.

"Drake does not take kindly to my presence," Alex's voice was sudden in the silence, and his tone was not of question but of matter-of-fact. I sighed again, feeling my shoulders sag just a touch as we walked.

"No. No he does not." I admitted, gently biting down on my bottom lip as we walked, our pace slow and steady. Alex nodded once, looking straight ahead.

"I figured. I cannot blame him, though. I've come into his home. In his eyes, I'm, no doubt, a threat to the love you two share, since I was your first," he commented quietly, and I felt a light blush cross my face. "It was never, really, my intention to make him uncomfortable… Nor was it my intention to come back…" His voice trailed off and I frowned deeply.

"Why, Alex?" I questioned, stopping our walk before placing a hand on his shoulder. Alex did not look at me; he kept his head bowed out of respect of my status, though, I wanted so badly to look at his face… to look into his eyes.

"Because you are Pharaoh and Drake is your Husband. You share an eternal bond and I'm upsetting him with my presence in this place." Alex's voice quivered lightly, but it was strong, if not, pained. I sighed, wishing, for a moment, that I was just as low in status as him so that he could look in my face without feeling like he was being too bold.

"Alex—" I began to say, when I heard Drake's voice not far from us.

"Adam?" I looked over at him, seeing a scrutinizing expression on his face as he eyed Alex, whose head was still bowed. I sighed.

"Drake," I acknowledge him, and his eyes met mine, soft as they met.

"I woke and you weren't there…" He muttered and I sighed softly, dropping my hand from Alex's shoulder.

"I was visiting Tommy and I ran into Alexander on the way," I said, fighting the pain in my heart at using Alex's full name. I'd always called him Alex, unless I was referring him to someone else. I called him Alex when he'd been mine ten years ago, and the habit never died. It was like calling Tommy by Tommy instead of Thomas. Less formal. More personal. More meaningful…

"How is he?" Drake asked, his voice softening. He seemed to forget that Alex was with us, for his eyes were locked on mine and his expression was eager to know. I sighed.

"No better, but no worse. He's resting, and we can only hope he'll wake, soon," I told him, watching his shoulders sag and his expression sadden. I licked my lips, "for now, let us three have some breakfast, alright?" I suggested, and Alex spoke without lifting his head any.

"If I may, My Pharaoh—" I frowned, but didn't say anything, "— I would much rather pack some provisions and be on my way. I've overstayed my welcome…" I shook my head a little, noticing Drake's hardened expression out of the corner of my eye, but I paid him no mind.

"No, Alex, you will stay and you will eat. You'll bathe, get a fresh change of clothes and we'll go from there. You will not leave today." I told him, clipping the tone of my voice so that he understood this was an order as Pharaoh to commoner— though he'd always be more than just a commoner in my heart— than as friend to friend.

"Adam…" Drake murmured softly and I turned towards him.

"No, Drake." I warned, growing tired of his discomfort with Alex. Alex shifted from one foot to the other, still refusing to lift his head to me despite the fact that I'd addressed him more than enough times. Why was he acting like this?

"My Pharaoh, please, I do not wish to intrude any longer—" I sighed.

"Be still. Pharaoh speaks," I hissed, sounding more like my father than myself. Drake stared at me with wide eyes, no doubt unfamiliar with the tone of order in my voice. I sighed, feeling exhausted as I stared at Alex's bowed form. "You will stay. You will be fed and clothed and, until further order, you will be a guest in my home here. Should you leave without my word of permission, you will shame all of Egypt." Alex tensed, nodding once. I sighed again, reaching forward and taking his chin in my hand, lifting his head and forcing his eyes to meet mine.

"I do not like to give orders like this, Alex, but please… Do not leave so soon after coming back into my life…" I whispered quietly, knowing that my words were hurting Drake. It was not my intention to hurt him, but there was nothing else I could do. I wasn't going to let Alex leave my life for a second time when he'd just come back into it.


	27. Gotta Show a Little Leg

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Gotta Show a Little Leg, Gotta Shimmy Your Chest  
Hiei's POV  
**  
The atmosphere of the palace was constantly tense. The Pharaoh didn't seem to be doing so well and neither did his husband. Personally, I didn't care about Pharaoh or his problems much, but seeing Drake so hurt and upset all the time was starting to get to me. I had a fondness for him because he did save me from being sent to prison, where I probably would have been turned into a sex doll. I owed him a lot and I felt bad for him.

I also didn't understand the older one that looked like Drake either. I knew very little about the people close to Pharaoh, besides Cassidy and Drake, but what I did manage to find out was that the man's name was Alexander. Honestly, I thought it was selfish of Adam to keep the man around when he was supposed to be happy with his husband. Drake didn't like that copy cat being around much, I could tell.

To be completely truthful, I wanted to help Drake. I wanted to be closer to him than I currently was, but I was _always_ doing chores that Cassidy monitored most of the time. We'd slowly opened up to each other and we could hold conversations now, but things were still awkward, especially when I caught him staring at my ass.

He seemed lonely, that much was obvious, but did that really mean he needed to stare at my ass all the time? I mean… sure, the attention was extremely nice but after a while, it made me a little uncomfortable, probably because of the fact that my father tried to sell me as a sex slave. But once I saw what a nice guy Cassidy really was, I kind of forgot about him occasionally sizing me up. I didn't want to admit it to anyone, not even myself, but I knew that I was beginning to like him. No one besides him treated me like an actual person.

I bent over, picking up a wet towel. Today I was cleaning off walls the same way I had cleaned the floors. Really? Who the fuck does this? When I stood back up to begin scrubbing, I glanced over at Cassidy who was, of course, staring at me again. I forced back the blush and turned on him. "You're staring again," I told him, putting my hands on my hips like an angry diva.

Cassidy's eyes widened and his face lit up to a nice, deep red. "I… apologize," he whispered, burying his nose back into his note pad.

"No," I told him, tossing the wet rag to the side and walking towards him.

He looked up at me again, an eyebrow raised. "Excuse me?" he asked, both threatening and confused.

"This is, like, the fourth time I've caught you staring at me this week!" I told him. "I'm sure there have also been times where I have not caught you, so-" I came to a halt right in front of him and put my hands back on my hips. "Is there actually a reason to your staring or do you stare at everyone? Surely you aren't some sort of sexual deviant."

"No! I'm not!" Cassidy exclaimed, flustered and determined to prove himself a good, honest man. "I don't stare at everyone and I-" I didn't give him a chance to finish.

"So it's just me you stare at then?" I asked, leaning forward a little. Cassidy was much bigger than me. He was well built and he was tall. I wasn't really. I had a build like Drake's and a height to match, but I was always one to hold my ground. I usually wasn't a fighter, but when it was necessary, I almost always won. Cassidy's size over me didn't scare me, especially when I towered over his sitting form.

He couldn't look me in the eye. He just kept looking away from me, fixating on anything he could manage, but the room was pretty bare. "Well…" he whispered, glancing up at me for just a moment before dropping his head. "Yes, to be completely honest…"

I hadn't expected that at all. My cheeks flamed against my will. "I…" I was dumbfounded. Why on earth would the Pharaoh's adviser even give me a second glance, let alone stare at me constantly? Over the last few days, I had been trying to answer that question, or to just convince myself that I was imagining this all together, but I wasn't. "Why?" I asked, more curious than anything.

Cassidy sighed, standing from the stone bench he'd been resting on and, suddenly, I was intimidated by him. He was just so tall and so important. I was merely a criminal that the Pharaoh's husband kind of related to. "I'm not sure," he admitted, staring out of a window for a while before turning to face me. "There's something mysterious and wonderful about you… Something that makes me need to know everything I possibly can about you. Something that makes me want to see every last inch of you and then explore the same path with more than just my eyes." I was sure I went even m ore red at that last statement.

"So…what… You're saying you like me, or something?" I asked, looking up at him through a vile of my hair.

"I'm enchanted by you," Cassidy said and I could hear the seriousness in his tone. It reflected in his chocolate eyes. "I can't explain why I'm so captivated by you, I really don't know, but I can't help but stare at you. Maybe I'm just so lonely, I'm not really sure."

"Because of your old lover?" I asked. "Did he make it hard for you to trust anyone else? Especially the people you find yourself attracted to?"

He sighed heavily and he stared out the window for a while before turning to face me again. "Yes," he admitted again. "And it doesn't really help that you are a… delinquent,"

I scoffed, closing the distance between us. "I'm not a delinquent," I insisted. "I was just doing what I needed to for survival." I pressed myself up against him. "Besides, I've heard you are rather attracted to boys who cross the line. Is that true?"

"No… No, of course that's not true," he said, groaning softly. I laughed, shaking my head as if to say 'yeah sure' and pushed him back down onto the bench. He probably could have stopped me easily if he wanted to, but something told me that he _didn't_ want to. "Hiei…" he whispered, glancing up at me. "What are you doing?"

I didn't reply, I simply climbed onto his lap, straddling his hips with my knees. My arms wound around his neck and our lips came together. A moan ripped from his throat and, as much as it was killing him, he surrendered to the kiss. It must have been hard for him to allow this kind of behavior, but I didn't care. This was fucking getting me out of work, for Ra's sake!

Not to mention, I did, kind of, sort of, like him… A little bit anyway.

He deepened the kiss, his arms snaking around my waist to pull me closer. I didn't protest it any. We were both still completely dressed, so I didn't have too much to actually protest. Cassidy, besides the fact that I also caught him staring at me, was a gentleman. Clearly he knew how to handle himself around attractive boys. If he didn't, he would have been all over the Pharaoh's husband and then he probably wouldn't have a job anymore.

My fingers weaved themselves into Cassidy's hair, pulling gently on it. He growled at me and I moaned, whimpering into his lips. He must have found that a turn on because his arms tightened, pulling me flush tight against him, not that I minded much. I whimpered again, pulling harshly on his hair just to see if he would growl at me again. He did and this time, he forced his tongue into my mouth.

I groaned, sucking on it as hard as I could manage. He shivered under me, moaning into my mouth as he began to pump his tongue in and out, effectively fucking my mouth with the muscle. Part of me, the part that was aching between my legs, wondered what his tongue would feel like pushing in and out of other areas of my body. The thought was enough to push my hips down against his and he gasped, quite loudly. His erection was plan as day.

I took the opportunity to force his tongue back into his mouth with my own. We moaned in unison as we switched rolls, him sucking on my tongue. Again, I wondered what it might be like to have him sucking off something else. Fucking Ra, one kiss with a man who finds me attractive and I'm suddenly wondering all sorts of naughty things? What the fuck?

"Hiei," Cassidy muttered against my lips, pulling back just a little. "This… probably isn't the most appropriate thing to be doing…" he whispered, his face flushed and his breathing heavy, matching mine. "I'm supposed to be watching you, keeping you out of trouble…"

"What better way than this? With me this close, you'll always know where I am," I retorted, leaning forwards enough to press my lips to the man's neck, kissing and nipping at the tanned flesh. He tasted salty and sweet at the same time. I had to admit, it was a rather enticing taste and it made my tongue tingle.

Cassidy gasped, settling into a soft growl. His hands fell to rest firmly on my hips. "We really shouldn't…"

"Why not?" I asked into his neck. "The Pharaoh has a beautiful husband that's nearly fifteen years younger than him. He's getting a lot of great service from him. Don't you deserve that too?" I asked. Truth was, I wanted to keep kissing him for two reasons, one being obvious, I didn't want to do anymore work, but I also wanted to keep going because I liked it.. Probably a little too much.

"I…" he began but it quickly died out. He probably realized that I was exactly right. What was so wrong with him stealing a few minutes of pleasure with someone he spent a lot of time with? It wasn't a secret that the Pharaoh got a whole lot of pleasure minutes from his young lover _every_ night. Well that might be changing due to that older version of Drake, but the point was still the same. "You're absolutely right…" he muttered, sighing in content as I left gentle kisses along his neck, jaw line and collar bone.

"Of course I am," I whispered into his skin, nipping at a few patches of skin before biting down on a long stretch of his neck. He cried out softly and I could feel his frame arch into me…I sucked hard, as if I were literally feeding from his blood. I was positive there would be a nice, big hickey there this time tomorrow. Hopefully he'd be able to hide it from the people who would judge him, or maybe he wouldn't. Maybe showing it off would be a good thing for him, who knows.

"Mm… Hiei…" he whispered, his hands trailing from my hips, up my sides, down and back up my back and into my hair, tangling his fingers into the mess. "Ra…" he whined, pulled gently on my long, flowing locks. I groaned, pulling away from the mark and admiring my handy work. "Fucking hell…"

"What?" I asked, blushing lightly. My lips, I could tell, were slightly swollen from the kissing and the biting/sucking, but I didn't care. Cassidy didn't really seem to mind either because he pressed his lips back to my, instantly drawing me into another sexual kiss.

We made out for quite some time. All clothing stayed on, but Cassidy liked to feel me up a lot. I surprisingly didn't mind it much at all and by the time he pulled away for the final time, I had an aching stiffness in my trousers, much like he did. "We should get ready for dinner…" he whispered softly against my lips. I knew that meant parting ways to get cleaned up and to take care of our little problems. Cassidy definitely wasn't one to fuck so soon.

Neither was I, really.

"Yes," I muttered. "We probably should…" But I really didn't want to get up or leave him at all.


	28. What Came First Love? Hurt?

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: What Came First; Love? Hurt?**

**Drake's POV**

I suffered through the breakfast meal with Adam and Alexander, keeping mostly to myself and only speaking when I was directly spoken to. I no longer felt like Adam's husband and, instead, was reminded of my days when I was nothing more than his pleasure slave. When I had decent respect but not authority. To be utterly honest, it was not a feeling I enjoyed reliving.

There was just something about Alexander's presence that bothered me. I wasn't sure if it was the resemblance between us or if it was the fact that he had, essentially, invaded our home and was walking the halls just as freely as any other man. It must've been a mix of things that kept my attitude so bitter towards him. I had to give him credit, though; he _did_ try to tell Adam that he had intention to leave. Hetried to appease me.

That had been a few days ago. Since then, Adam has only made Alexander's stay more comfortable, more luxurious. He'd gotten Alexander a bigger, lush room with excellent furnishings with a view of the gardens while being near the library. He'd give Alexander new clothes, jewels and the like, giving him all he needed to doll himself up and reassume his roll—

No. He would not. Adam was _mine_. Alexander was _not_ going to take him away from me. I couldn't stop Adam from making Alexander comfortable in the palace, but I _could_ stop Alexander from getting close to Adam, again. And, if necessary, I would take extreme precautions.

But why was it such a big deal? Shouldn't I just trust Adam to be faithful to me? Were honesty, trust, loyalty and devotion not among the other promises and vows he made to me at our wedding? Had he not been saying, for years, that I was all he wanted and needed? Shouldn't that have been enough for me?

I sighed softly, running my fingers through my hair before setting the paintbrush down on a small side table next to the canvas that I had propped up. I was trying to find my muse to get my mind off of things, but every time I started painting, the first colors I would see were a deep ocean blue and a rich chocolate brown. My eyes and hair. Alexander's eyes and hair.

After each canvas, when I realized what I was painting, I would scrap it immediately.

I must've gone through ten canvases before giving up all together. All I wanted was for things to go back to the way they used to be… I wanted Tommy to be healthy, I wanted Anna to be alive, I wanted things to be easier between myself and Eric, I wanted Alexander out of the picture… Did I want him to, truly, be dead? No. I may not have liked him in the least, but I would never wish death upon him. But why did he have to come back into Adam's life and, in the process, compromise what Adam and I had built and created together? Why did he have to come back?

"Damnit!" I hissed, knocking over the side table, watching my paintbrushes and paints clatter to the floor, splattering a little. I sighed heavily, knowing that I needed to clean it up, but I had no desire to do such. I wanted to leave it and forget about this room and disregard the stack of slashed out canvases that were covered in angry stroke marks…

I turned on my heel, storming out of my studio and down the hall. The sun was beating through the windows, setting ablaze the soft stone and making me sweat a little. I was dressed in a simple pair of trousers and a shear shirt; nothing extravagant, but more than comfortable and modest. My hair was pulled back into its lopsided ponytail, hanging a little heavier because of its length.

I passed servants, uncaring of their bowed heads and concerned looks at the tension of my body. I didn't care for anything. I needed a walk or something to clear my head. Anything to get my mind off of Alexander and Adam and everything that had been going on and going wrong…

I wanted to visit Tommy. I hadn't done it in several days and, to be honest, I felt horrible for that. Adam had said that he wasn't doing any better, but that he wasn't doing worse, either. He was stable, but in a limbo of coma. I wasn't sure if was ever going to get better, but I had to hope. I had to hold onto the idea that he would be fine because, I knew, if I were to lose him, a part of me would be lost…

I shook my head a little, rounding a corner before running straight into my younger brother, Eric. Eric stumbled back and I reached out, taking his shoulders into my hands to steady him. He thanked me before looking up, and his eyes hardened at the sight of me. I frowned as he stepped away, inhaling slowly through his nose before bowing his head.

"My apologies, Sir. I did not meant to run into you," he said, his voice cold. I frowned further, placing my hands back on his shoulders, trying to pull him upright a little more.

"Eric, you don't have to bow to me…" I told him, but Eric didn't move at first. Instead, he kept his head bowed before lifting it slowly to look down at me, even if only by a few short inches.

"Is it not proper to bow before royalty, though?" Eric's choice of words were clipped and somewhat hostile. I bit down on my bottom lip, keeping my hands on his shoulders for a few minutes longer.

"It is proper, yes, but you are royalty, too. My marriage to the Pharaoh has given me royalty, and, as you are my brother, you are royal, too." I explained, but Eric's expression of hardened stone did not falter. If anything, it intensified and he looked as if he was judging me instead of acknowledging me.

"But since when would you know what proper is, My King?" Eric hissed and I stepped away, my hands sliding off of his shoulders. My heart thudded in my chest and, for some reason, I did not like the way he referred to me. Normally, I would have waved off the title, but he made it sound like it was degrading and chastising.

"Excuse me?" I questioned him, raising an eyebrow. Eric chuckled, shaking his head, his body rigid with tension. He refused to look at me as he spoke, which only upset me further.

"You abandoned us to be the Pharaoh's play thing… To bed with him when you could have provided for our family! When you could have gotten yourself a job and started a family of your own!" Eric hissed in my direction, though he did not look at me. His face was turned my direction, but his eyes seemed to be looking through me. As if I was nothing more than particles of dust floating in the air.

"Eric… You know that's not true! I didn't leave on my own, and I _tried_! I _tried_ so hard to provide for our family! I did everything in power and I was _taken_ from home by _force_! I did not want this!" I retaliated, tears stinging my eyes as I stared hard at him. His eyes flickered, briefly meeting mine before wandering again.

"You did want this… You were brought before Pharaoh and he told you to bed with him… I'm sure you spread your legs like a good slave, didn't you? I bet you spread your legs to anyone who asked!" Eric snarled, a cold kind of fire raging in his blue eyes. My heart cracked in my chest and I took a step away from him, shaking. How could he accuse me of being someone so low and filthy…?

Didn't he understand that I'd never meant for any of this to happen? Didn't he understand that I tried? That I _really_ tried…? Didn't he understand that I wanted to provide for my family and make the best out of everything? To see them grow up before my eyes as I took care of a family of my own? Didn't he understand any of that?

"Eric…" I whispered but the younger boy shook his head, breathing heavily. His hands were clenched into angry, shaking fists and he kept shaking his head back and forth, seeming to be suffering an internal fight with himself. But was he fighting himself to hold these words back or was he fighting himself to keep from hitting me?

"No… You're _nothing_ but a _whore_, Drake! _You_ left us! You left us to bed with the Pharaoh! To be his _quick_ and _easy_ fuck! _You_ let Anna _die_!" He shouted at me. Tears rolled down my cheeks at the mention of Anna's name… I couldn't speak. I could barely think as Eric's eyes sent burning daggers into my heart. Hell, I could barely breathe…

"N-no… I.. I never.." I stuttered. But I couldn't form any coherent sentences. I couldn't speak. No matter how much I didn't want to believe that Anna's death was my fault, I knew, deep down, that it was. I had confessed to the things that Brad had done and, in return, Anna's life had been taken… My own selfishness for freedom cost the life of my little sister. And I knew, in these moments of silent tears and angry breaths that Eric would never forgive me for that…

Eric's posture calmed and he straightened himself, standing tall above me, glaring down into my soul like he, himself, was to judge me instead of the Gods. Like he was to determine my fate for me. I quivered lightly, feeling two feet tall compared to him. His jaw was set into a hard, harsh line, his eyes dark. For a moment, I did not see my younger brother. I only saw my father…

"Father was right about you," he whispered, "You're nothing but a weak, worthless waste… You should never have been born…" Eric seethed, shoving past me, sending me crashing— lightly— into the wall before he rounded the corner, disappearing from my sight. I choked on a breath, tears flowing down my face as his words stung my heart. A soft, pained cry left my lips and I collapsed to my knees, shaking with tears.

Surprisingly, my sobs were quiet in their wrath as I wept on the floor of the hallway. No servants passed, no scholars came my way. I was alone in the hallway, a good hundred yards or so from Tommy's door. In my grief, I forgot of all of the pain I had faced with Alexander's arrival. In comparison, I would rather relive seeing Alexander and Adam in the library together a thousand times over than be victim to the venom of my brother's words…


	29. Lean On Me When You're Not Strong

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Lean On Me When You're Not Strong  
Adam's POV**

"Adam, why won't you just let me leave?" Alex asked me. We were in the library, sitting towards the back with the door open so no one could accuse us of inappropriate behavior. "Drake will never be happy as long as I am here and we both know that Drake's happiness means the world to you." I had to admit, I felt bad for hurting Drake over and over again but I couldn't let Alex just walk out of my life again.

I sighed deeply, turning to face him again. "Alex, Drake will warm up to you. I know he will, right now he's just afraid of you. I suppose neither of us can really blame him," I said, frowning. I hated to know that Drake didn't trust me enough to be around Alex. Maybe it wasn't a matter of trust, maybe he was afraid that my feelings for Alex would resurface and my feelings for him would pale in comparison.

"What if he never does warm up to me? Are you going to sacrifice his happiness merely to spent a few afternoons in the library with me?" he asked. "Because it's not worth it."

"You are worth it, Alex. I love Drake, that's completely true, but I still miss you. I still want you to be part of my life and now that I know you aren't dead… How can you possibly expect me to let you walk out?" I asked, leaning on the stone wall next to him. "As long as we aren't eloping, Drake can't really say no."

"But you should think about how this makes him feel. He's young, Adam. From what I've seen, he's extremely smart and extremely talented but he is still young and he is still naïve. He doesn't understand any possible relationship between us other than what he's been told already. He's so in love with you that his fear of losing you is enough to hate me. Adam… Maybe you really need to put his needs before mine," he said, his voice soft but firm at the same time. Just like Drake, he could comply defy logic. "Your marriage with Drake is more important than your friendship with me."

"Alex…" I started, shaking my head. "Please let me take care of Drake. I know you are worried but he is my husband and I will take care of him," I told him. "And please do not expect me to lose you again, Alex, because I won't. I can't… Even if we are just friends, I can't just let you leave."

Alex sighed, his eyes wandering the massiveness of the room. They lingered on the peacock for a while. "How does Drake feel about that statue?" he asked me, looking back at me finally.

"He… Oh Ra, he loved it when he first came, but he didn't know what it represented," I said, looking over at the massive bird. "He told me it used to comfort him until…" I stopped, swallowing the lump in my throat. I didn't want to think of that time…

"Until he found out what it was?" Alex asked and I just shook my head.

"No… Until he was…" I sighed, soft tears stinging my eyes. "Brad raped him here," I told him, pointing towards the rug in front of the statue. "Drake was here, talking to you before he new who you were. He was terrified of Brad and he didn't know what to do because Brad threatened his family, his life. Well, when he was talking, Brad came in and he raped Drake right there, on that rug. Well, not that rug. The original rug was burned, but in that spot. That's when he truly started to not like the statue. He felt that the comfort he gained from it had failed him…"

Alex took a sharp, painful sounding breath. "Well, no wonder he hates me. I let Brad rape him…" he whispered, frowning a little.

"That's not why and you didn't let Brad rape him. How was a statue going to stop Brad? We may talk to that bird like it was real but, sadly, it isn't," I said, looking back at Alex.

"So, why else does he not like the statue? When he found out it represented me?" he asked. I knew I wasn't going to get out of telling him the day Drake did find out about him, even if I didn't want to discuss it.

"Brad… Brad told Drake about you before I got the courage to. I was terrified that if he knew of you, he would think he was nothing but a replica. For a few weeks, he was, but then I finally separated him from you and I realized how much I really loved him…" I whispered. "But he went to see Brad the day before his execution. I suppose he was looking for some sort of… closure, but he didn't get it. Brad told him about you and he told Brad how I would never truly love him, that I was simply morphing him into you. Drake… He believed it.

"He went into the library in a blind rage. He tore the room apart and when I found him, he was destroying the statue with some sort of pole or something," I told him, frowning. "It crumbled and then we argued for a while. He ran away from the palace that night, truly believing that I didn't love him or even care about him at all." Alex looked completely confused.

"If he tore it apart then…" he started, pointed towards the peacock.

"He rebuilt it. He took the rubble and he pieced the statue back together. He repainted it to be even more beautiful than it was originally," I said. "I was stunned when he managed to do it, but he said that he needed to, that it wasn't fair to keep me from you. That's when he thought you were dead though. Now he's just terrified of you. He's not usually so cruel, he's just afraid to open up to you. He'd afraid to let you in…"

Alex opened his mouth to reply but he closed it immediately as a soft, whimpering sound came from the hall. I recognized it immediately as Drake. His soft sobs flooded through the opened doors before I saw him rush by, his hands covering most of his face. Did he see Alex and I together? Is that what he was so upset about? Did he… overhear us? Oh Ra…

"Adam go," Alex said to me. "I'm not sure why he's upset, but he obviously needs you. Go on," he added nudging me towards the door. I glanced back at him, nodding softly.

"I'll see you at dinner," I said before rushing out of the library. I went down the way I saw Drake rushing to, hoping that I could actually find him. I turned the corner, heading towards the front of the palace. I don't know why I took this way, but I just had a feeling. I turned a few more corners, heading towards the thrown room. I peaked my head around the corner, seeing the room entirely empty except for Drake and his mother.

Drake was sitting on the golden steps, his face buried in his mother's bosom. I could see his small frame shaking and my heart was cracking because surely this was my fault… His mother ran her fingers through his thick, luscious hair. She pulled it out of the ponytail, allowing it to rain down around his shoulders. Ra, it had gotten so long. She rubbed his back with the other hand.

"Drake, baby, what's the matter?" she asked. They weren't really that far from me, so I could hear them easily. I felt bad for listening in on them, but… I needed to know what was wrong and, if it was my fault, I needed to make it better. "Honey, please talk to me."

Drake wrapped his arms around his mother's neck, looking more like a young child than I have ever seen him. He would always be his mother's baby boy, that much I could tell. "Eric…" Drake mumbled. That confused the living Hell out of me. What the fuck did Eric have to do with anything?

"What happened?" she whispered into his hair. I was sure he smelled just like vanilla. He always did. "Drake, tell me what happened. Obviously it's something you need to talk about." She pushed him up just enough that they could look each other in the eye. Tears stained Drake's cheeks and I bit my lip hard, just wanting to scoop him up in my arms and hold him tight.

"Eric ran into me in the hall, or I ran into him, whatever…" Drake mumbled, wiping tears from his face with the heel of his palm. "He was bowing to me and I told him not to… He… He said it was pr-proper to bow to royalty, but he said it l-like he was judging everything a-about me…"

Roza cupped Drake's face in her hands, stroking the tears away. "Did you two fight?" she whispered, pressing her forehead against Drake's. He nodded softly, biting his lip hard. "What did he say to you?"

"He…" Drake started, biting his lip again. "He told me that I- that I abandoned you all to be the pharaoh's fuck toy…" he whispered. "That I wanted to be taken away and that when I was told to bed with the pharaoh, I spread my legs for him like a g-good whore…" He whimpered, probably remembering every time Brad had called him that. "He said I probably spread my leg for an-anyone who asked and…"

Roza's eyes widened in discussed of her younger son. I was sure that if Eric were to walk in, she would have laid into him like a chainsaw tearing apart wood. "He told me that while I should have b-been taking care of you and everyone, I was r-really enjoying my role as a whore…" I can't believe his own brother said this to him. It was enough to make me want to punch the boy in his face.

"Did he said anything else to you, honey?" Roza whispered. She continued pushing his tears aside.

"He…" New tears splashed down his eyes. "He told me Anna's death was my fault! And then he told me that Daddy was right when he said I was weak and I was worthless!" he cried, his tears flowing harder than before. Roza couldn't keep up in stroking them away. "He told me that I never should have been born and then he shoved me into a wall, leaving me there, alone!"

For his brother to hold a grudge against him was one thing, but… to know that his father really said all those horrible things about him? I knew that his father didn't really see eye to eye, but I never knew that his father had such an intense, burning hatred for him. Knowing that was like a fresh knife would to the heart. How did he father not see greatness in him? Everyone else did, except for Eric, apparently.

Roza looked appalled and I didn't blame her in the slightest. Drake might have been her oldest son, but he would always be her baby. The scene before my eyes proved that completely. "Drake… Honey…" she whispered, pressing her lips to her son's forehead. She reminded me so much of my mother, it wasn't even funny.

"It's one thing to know that my own father hated me, but now my _little_ brother has the exact same opinion of me?" Drake cried, his body shaking like a leaf in harsh wind. "I did _everything_ I could to provide for you all! I did _everything!_ It wasn't until I got here that I was able to do that!" Ra, my poor baby…

"Drake…" Roza whispered, stroking his cheeks delicately. "I have to confess to you something that I didn't want to tell you, but now it seems rather important," she continued. Drake's eyes went a little wide. They were shinning with tears and I just wanted to pull him into my arms, carrying him into our bedroom and make sweet, slow love to him for hours.

"What is it, Mama?" he whispered, sounding as if he were afraid to know.

"Your father didn't hate you because he thought you were weak, or a failure. He hated you for something that you couldn't control," she whispered. Drake looked confused and Roza sighed deeply. "Drake, your father… He isn't really your father," she said softly. She looked like she was fighting to look away from her son. Maybe she was ashamed, I did not know, but she kept her son's gaze.

Drake was silent for a long time, as if he couldn't really process what was happening. "W-what?" he whispered, biting his lip.

Roza took a deep breath. "Your real father is living on the other side of Egypt now. He was eighteen and I was seventeen. We were in love and the last night we spent together, you were conceived. He told me he was being wed to another woman by his parents and that we wouldn't be able to be together anymore. We couldn't stand the thought of never knowing what… intimacy felt like, so we gave into the desires we had been withholding for so long and… I got pregnant with you," she explained. "A few weeks later, my parents arranged me to wed your brother's father. At the time, I didn't know I was pregnant, but as the wedding date came closer and closer, it was too much for me to ignore. Everyone thought you were his, everyone but myself and him."

"He's… He's not my father…" Drake muttered, his eyes round with disbelief. "He hated me because I wasn't his…?"

"Yes, Drake… and that was completely unfair to you. He never said anything to anyone because he didn't want to be shamed. He didn't want to shame our family, but he expressed his inner turmoil by simply hating you. I firmly believe that all the horrible things he said to your face were the reasons you could never do anything to please him. He always set you up to fail and I hated him for that," she whispered. "I wished I could have raised a family with your real father. He would have loved and cared for you like no one else could have. I… I should have told you this but I… I was afraid to."

"Afraid of what?" Drake whispered, his eyes falling shut as more tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Afraid that you would think differently of me, that… maybe you would begin to hate me as well," she whispered. Drake only shook his head, tears flying from his face.

"I could never hate you, Mama," he whispered. "But… you should have told me the truth…'

Roza sighed, pulling Drake close to her again. His head fell against her shoulder, his tears staining her shirt. "I know, Drake and I'm truly sorry, but please know that your father, the one you grew up with, didn't hate you for anything you did wrong. He hated you because he was discussed with the fact that you were not his child but he still had to act as your father."

"But that wasn't my fault…" he whimpered. "I couldn't control that… I didn't… do anything wrong…"

"I know, baby. I know that. I will never forgive that man for how he treated you…" she whispered, holding her son as if he were still a small child. I didn't realize the tears that were rolling down my own cheeks until that point. Everyone seemed to be protective of my husband, even people who didn't know him, but to see him with his mother made me ache for my own mother. It also made me ache to hold Drake in my own arms and make everything better for him, but at this moment, I couldn't.

I had to pretend that I didn't know any of the horrible things I had just heard and that was going to kill me.


	30. Skin Pressed Against Me Tight

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: I Want to Hold You Close, Skin Pressed Against Me Tight**

**Cassidy's POV**

With my folder in hand, I strolled down the hallway towards Hiei's room, a light skip in my step and a playful rhythm in the beat of my heart. A smile pulled at my lips the closer I got to his room, but I could not discern as to why. There was just something about that boy that made me feel whole… Loved and valued, almost… Complete. Something I had not felt since hearing of Brad's crimes against Drake…

I trembled lightly, fighting back the waves of pain that threatened to wrap themselves around my heart. After knowing of the things he'd done to that poor boy, I found it repulsive and disgusting that I'd let Brad touch me and make love to me so many nights. It was hard to imagine that I'd once thought I'd loved him when he went off behind my back, defying Our Pharaoh and taking what was not rightfully his— what would _never_ be his…

I sighed softly, reaching up and running fingers through my hair as I turned a corner, walking down a smaller hallway towards Hiei's room. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, casting warm shadows on the walls before I stepped forward, raising my hand to knock politely on the wood of the door. There was a shuffling and a soft "one moment" that I recognized, easily to be Hiei. He sounded tired. Did he just wake up?

The clicked and swung open, and Hiei stood before me wearing a pair of dark grey trousers and a loose fitting white shirt with grey trim. Plain but modest, and, yet, he made it look utterly beautiful. For a moment I forgot what it meant to breathe and I smiled warmly at him, stepping to the side and beckoning him to follow me. He smiled shyly at me, closing his bedroom door behind him before falling in step beside me.

"Your chores are minimal today, Hiei," I began, clutching my folder to my right side, longing to reach out with my left hand and take his right. But I kept it swinging at my side, fighting the urge to act out of line as advisor and perform more like a lover. It had been so long, but the boy was young… And I had been hurt too badly to trust so quickly… "No scrubbing or washing, but you will be helping me reorganize some files in the library."

Hiei nodded once, but he didn't say a word. I could only imagine that he was thankful he wouldn't be on his hands and knees again like he had been for the past week or so. His hands were dried out from the soaps, and I knew that he needed a break from them. Not to mention, the manual labor of scrubbing floors and walls must have been putting a pressure on his back…

I noticed, from the corner of my eye, Hiei adopt a sort of befuddled look, as if something was on his mind. I frowned a little, turning my head to acknowledge him as we walked, "Something troubling you, Hiei?" I asked, and the boy inhaled slowly.

"I am just… confused. I understand it's not my place to question his order, but I am curious to know why Pharaoh lets Alexander stay if it upsets His husband so much?" Hiei inquired and I sighed softly.

When I'd first heard that Alexander was back, I didn't believe it in the least. Alexander had been dead for ten years, and there couldn't have been any possible explanation to give to his presence. But it wasn't until supper the other night, when he was sitting across the table from me and Hiei that I knew I had to believe it. Drake was sitting at the head of the table with Adam and there was no one else in all of Egypt so similar in face and heart to the boy.

"I imagine you don't know of Alexander's connection with Our Pharaoh, do you?" I suggested to the boy, and he shook his head slowly. I inhaled deeply as we rounded a corner, heading towards the library.

"Alexander, when he was first brought here, was Pharaoh's first pleasure slave. They were both eighteen; he'd been gifted to Pharaoh as a present from his father. Needless to say, their intimacy brewed a love that is not uncommon to any that shares such passion. Our Pharaoh's father was not, exactly, pleased with the idea of their love, but as he was no longer the Ruler of Egypt, he did not have say in the matter.

"When they were twenty-five, a wave of fevers— much like what we're suffering now— came through the land, taking the lives of Our Pharaoh's mother as well as threatening that of Alexander. It was believed that he died in Pharaoh's arms, but, as you've seen, that was not the case in the slightest," I explained to him, reaching the library doors and pulling them open, ushering Hiei first.

He still looked puzzled, though, "If Alexander was known to be dead, where has he been, then?" Hiei asked, turning to face me as I let the doors shut. Unlike Adam, I did not lock them. There was nothing to hide other than the business of chores and light conversation.

"That… I do not know. I imagine that, when Pharaoh decides to inform me, I will understand. And, if you desire it, you'll be the first to know from me," I told him. It wasn't, exactly, my place to inform a slave of the Pharaoh's personal life, but there was something so easy about talking to Hiei. Plus, he seemed to have a brotherly-sort of fondness for Drake. I imagined that, if they were given the opportune time, they would become stead-fast friends.

"I would like that, thank you," Hiei said, a soft blush painting his tanned cheeks. I smiled warmly at him again, and he blushed further. I chuckled, walking with him towards more of the back of the library, taking him up a small flight of stairs to a second landing that was lofty, looking down over the rest of the library with the statue of the peacock in the center. Hiei inhaled slowly, crossing over to the banister of the second level, staring with wide eyes out at the expanse of bookshelves and colors, statues and artifacts..

"It's beautiful…" He whispered quietly, and I smiled, setting my folder down on a bench next to a bookshelf before stepping up beside him, leaning against the banister of stone. Hiei glanced over at me, his eyes meeting mine. My heart skipped a beat and I forced the urge to lean down and kiss him back. I could not, much as I wanted to. While yesterday was… More than I could ever imagine, I did not wish to push boundaries with him..

Hiei's eyes scanned my face for a moment longer before he looked away again, his shoulders slouching slightly. I frowned softly, wondering if he wanted me to kiss him or not.. I swallowed the lump in my throat, pushing off from my resting place before turning away from him. "Come. Multiple hands make light work." I told him, bending down to grab a stack of books and folders filled with papers before turning on my heel, handing the stack to Hiei. He looked a little shocked.

"You're helping me?" He inquired and I laughed warmly, a grin stretching across my face before I nodded once.

"Would you rather me stare at you as you work again?" I suggested, raising an eyebrow. His cheeks flamed beneath his tan and he looked like he was at a loss of words. I shook my head, smiling still, "take those down to the shelves by the statue. We'll sort them once we get everything down there," I explained, and Hiei nodded once, turning away and walking down the stairs.

As always, I stared at him until he vanished, temporarily, from my sight. I sighed softly, licking my lips before lifting a stack into my arms, carrying it delicately down the stairs, brushing passed Hiei as I set them down next to the stack he left on the floor. I glanced over my shoulder, gazing up at the majestic statue as it glistened in the late morning sunlight.

It took no more than half an hour for Hiei and I to bring down twenty stacks of books, papers, and folders, all waiting to be organized into the shelves of the western half of the library. We'd left them sitting side by side by side, some holding more dust than others. I inhaled deeply, gathering my own personal folder from the bench on the second level loft before descending the steps again to join Hiei beside the statue.

"Very good. Now… We begin the tedious process of organizing as much of it as we can before lunch and dinner." I told him. Hiei groaned softly, bending a little at the waist to rest his palms on his knees. My eye trailed along the curve of his back and the way his hair hung around his face, my mind painting a vivid image of his back arched against my chest, his hair clinging to his ecstasy-written face with sweat as I—

"May we take a break, Cassidy?" He asked, and I nodded once, forcing back the images in my mind as I lead him towards a small sitting area, not far from the statue. I set my folder down on a small side table between our chairs as I collapsed into one, Hiei into the other. He was breathing a little heavily from carrying heavy stacks up and down the stairs, but I imagined that it was because of passion and heat…

I swallowed the lump in my throat, feeling a twitch of excitement rushing along a growing erection that would be a little more than obvious in a short matter of time. I sighed quietly, cursing myself and my body for lusting for this boy so fiercely. I wanted to say that I couldn't be blamed— I had not been intimate in several years because of the betrayal I'd felt with Brad. It was not wrong of me to feel desire, but to feel desire for a delinquent?

_I'm not a delinquent_… It was like Hiei was whispering in my ear again and I inhaled slowly, swallowing another lump in my throat as I let my head rest in my hand. My eyes slipped shut and yesterday's events painted themselves in my mind; holding Hiei close, tasting his lips, feeling him dig his teeth into my skin… I shivered, nonchalantly rubbing at my neck before shivering, moaning quietly as my fingers trailed against the hickey in my skin.

I could feel the weight of Hiei's eyes on my after I moaned, and my face flushed lightly. How embarrassing… I turned my head slowly, looking over at him. His eyes were half-open, dazed with what I could only imagine to be something like lust as he slid from his chair. My heart skipped several beats in my chest as he reached forward, palming my face delicately in his hands, pulling me close and kissing me hard.

I moaned, snaking my arms around his waist, pulling him onto my lap. His chest pressed up against mine as he deepened our kiss, his tongue sliding between my teeth. I groaned softly, my hips grinding into his thighs and ass. I was sure my erection was nudging right up against him, but he didn't seem to notice or care. He moaned into my mouth, tangling his fingers into my hair, pulling hard.

Growling, my hands slid up the underside of his shirt, nails clawing into his skin. Hiei pulled away from our kiss, gasping loudly as I dug into his flesh, no doubt creating thin, red lines in his sides and back. He tilted his head back a little as I leaned up, nipping into his throat, like he'd done to me yesterday, my lips dragging wet kisses along his jaw line.

"Cassidy…" Hiei moaned, trembling above me as I lifted my hips again, wanting to strip him and taste and touch and memorize every inch of his body. I wanted to kiss and lick him, bite his most sensitive spots, learn what makes him tremble with pleasure and what makes him scream with ecstasy.

I looped my arms around Hiei's lower back and thighs, shifting forward as he tightened his legs around me. I slid from the chair, gently easing him down to the rug on the floor, hovering above him and between his thighs. His hands clenched my shoulders, pulling me down into a wet and dirty kiss; one that made my eyes roll back into my head and my hands lift his shirt away from his stomach, tugging it over his head.

Hiei gasped softly, "Cassidy…" He whispered, his eyes betraying his emotions. He wanted me… But he didn't want this… He didn't want to go all the way… The fear and uncertainty blazed in his eyes and I swallowed the lump in my throat, kissing him gently as I tossed his shirt aside.

"I won't… Just trust me. I won't hurt you," I told him, my breath ghosting over his lips. Hiei moaned quietly, looking a little unsure for a moment. But, soon, he nodded once, kissing me again. I swear, I could hear his heart thrashing in his chest as I kissed and bit at his neck, unbuttoning my own shirt before shrugging out of it.

Hiei's hands slid up my sides, the pads of his thumbs swiping over my nipples and I shivered, moaning quietly, my hands toying with the waistband of his trousers. My fingers swept over the smooth skin of his and he lifted them, letting me tug gently on his pants, just enough to free the erection that he was sporting.

He blushed furiously, his cheeks a rosy-brown as his eyes slipped shut. I kissed his neck again, reaching down to curl my palm around his being. Hiei's eyes snapped back open and he moaned, arching slightly as I stroked him from base to tip, only once. He shuddered, moaning loudly, his hands clawing at the rug beneath him.

I wanted to take him, but I wasn't sure, myself, if _I_ was ready for that. I knew that Hiei wasn't— I saw it in his eyes. He wasn't ready for that; he was so young. I wasn't ready because of Brad… Though, his actions and what he'd done in this very room didn't faze the desire that I held for Hiei. But, I knew, if and when I had him… It would mean something special. And it wouldn't be here, in public.

"Cassidy!" Hiei cried out when I swiped my thumb over his slit. He was shivering uncontrollably beneath me, his eyes squeezed shut and his mouth slack in a moan. I groaned softly, my own erection throbbing and aching beneath the fabric of my own pants. "Cassidy, please…"

I kissed Hiei deeply, stroking him slow and hard, massaging him on occasion and teasing his slit. I reached down with my free hand, my fingertips teasing his entrance, barely prodding him at first. He tensed, moaning and thrusting into my hand, his back arched off of the rug. Sweat was gathering along his hairline, a few strands sticking to his face. A most beautiful sight…

I reached up with my free hand again, trailing my fingertips in the precome that was dripping from the head of his erection, slicking my fingers up nicely before kissing his chest, pumping my hand hard on him as I slid a digit into him, slow and steady. Hiei tensed around it, moaning a little louder with every breath as I fucked him sweetly with it. He was panting my name and it wasn't until my finger hit that sweetest spot inside of him that he cried out, coming hard onto my chest and his stomach.

Panting heavily, Hiei relaxed, his eyes closed as I pulled away from him, dragging my hand across my chest. My mouth watered softly, but I had no interest in making him feel uncomfortable. Instead of licking my palm clean, like I normally would have, I wiped it clean on the thigh of my pants, which were doing nothing to hide my arousal.

Hiei's eyes fluttered open as I bent my head, kissing him sweetly. He moaned softly, reaching up to palm my face tenderly. My hands curled around the waistband of his pants, pulling them up to conceal his spent member, and he pushed up against my shoulders, forcing me onto my knees.

"Hiei…" I moaned quietly, feeling my back hit the edge of the chair as his hands tugged on my pants, freeing my erection. I looked at him, seeing his eyes widen slightly, his face redden and I blushed lightly. Hiei glanced up at me, licking his red and slightly-swollen lips before reaching forward, tentatively wrapping his hand around my dick. I arched, instinctively thrusting into his hand.

Hiei moaned softly, tightening his grip as he nestled himself close to me, sitting on his knees but not quite straddling mine. I lifted my hand, palming it over his as he slowly stroked me. I moaned softly as he kissed me, opening his mouth to let my tongue intrude and taste the caverns of his cheeks and the muscle of his own tongue. I shivered, thrusting up into our hands as I gently guided his actions, tightening my hand when I wanted him to tighten around me, shifting his wrist when he needed to change the angle. I was in control, but he was the one pleasuring me.

It didn't take long to bring me to my own end. Between the difference of my hand compared to Hiei's, the taste of his kiss and the feather-light touches and nips to my neck, I came hard against our stomachs, moaning loudly into his mouth as he kissed me again.


	31. It's Only the Blind Prophet

**Chapter Thirty: It's Only the Blind Prophet Who Truly Sees  
Alexander's POV**

I had to be honest, being around Adam all the time and not being able to wrap my arms around him was painful. I longed to kiss him and hold him and let him hold and kiss me. I missed him uncontrollably, but he wasn't mine anymore. He belonged to Drake and I respected that. No, respected wasn't the right word. I was ecstatic for Adam and Drake because they were happy. I'd never seen Adam smile so brightly, even when he and I were together.

Adam was happy and he was married to the perfect boy. He may have been a little immature in some respects, but that was because he was young. For the most part, Drake was brilliant, he possessed talents and skills that most could only dream of and he was oh so very beautiful… He fit into Adam's life better than I ever did and I didn't hold any form of grudge against Drake for taking my place.

If anything, I was wildly protective of Drake. I desired his friendship and his approval, but I doubted I would ever get it. As long as he saw me as a threat, I would never move to his good side. Drake was enchanting and I wanted to know everything about him. I wanted to be his comfort when Adam was unable and I wanted to be able to tell him of the troubles we share.

We were more alike that Drake realized. Yes, we looked very similar and we had fallen in love with the same man, but we were far from the same person. Drake was graceful, artistic and expressive in almost everything that he did. I was not quite so graceful and I favored facts and politics. I'm sure Drake was decent enough with facts and knowledge, but he fancied the world of imagination and creation, not understanding and managing our own world. Our personalities were different, yet we were both shy and, for what I had seen, we both had a tendency to be stubborn.

We were both raped and abused by Bradley.

I hoped that if I could talk to Drake long enough to make him see that I understood what he suffered, that I was just like him in that respect. I needed to tell him that I had absolutely no intentions on coming between him and his husband. If I could just pack up and leave, I would have. Adam's orders kept me here, but Adam didn't want to leave Drake for me, he merely wanted my friendship. When he found out that I was still alive, he couldn't bare the thought of simply letting me walk out of his life again.

Our relationship would never be the same. It would never grow back to the level it had been on because Adam was in love with Drake. He might have loved me, but he was no longer _in_ love with me. He would always love Drake, he would always long to have Drake and he would always lust over Drake because Drake was everything he wanted in a lover. Drake was perfect for him. They were perfect for each other. Who was I to even dream of coming between them?

I needed to talk to Drake. Adam kept saying he would take care of Drake, get him to come around, but Drake was still hostile towards me. He wasn't easing up at all and I was almost positive that Adam either hadn't talked to Drake at all or he wasn't getting through to him. Maybe if I got him alone for a while, I could somehow manage to get through to him instead. It was doubtful but I still had to try.

It was midday. Yesterday Adam and I had seen Drake run past the library in tears. I'd asked Adam about it but all he said was 'it wasn't anything to do with us. I haven't even gotten to talk to him about it yet. Don't worry about it'. Well, I was worried about that and a lot more. I hated to think that Drake was upset and in pain because of my presence. I had to try to make this right, seeing as I couldn't really leave.

Dinner would be in a few hours. I hoped to find Drake before then so I could talk with him, but I'd been spending the entire day searching the palace and I still hadn't seen his deep, luscious brown hair. Since he wasn't anywhere to be found in the palace (and I've even checked his and Adam's bedroom), I decided to try the gardens. Adam and I had spent a good amount of time talking about Drake. He told me everything he loved about the boy and everything he struggled to understand but accepted just because it was part of who Drake was. He told me about his habits and he told me that when he needed inspiration or some space to think, he would venture out into the gardens.

Even before Drake and I had run into each other that day in the gardens, I knew he spent a great deal of time out there. I'd seen him a lot, mostly by the large fountain in the center or by Anna's memorial. If he was trying to hid from people, he was bound to be with Anna. It was a more private region of the garden, cut off from the rest to only really open up to his studio's wall of windows. Adam had built it as a place for Drake, so he had privacy.

"I'm so sorry, Anna," I heard so soft voice whisper. I peaked between two hedges, seeing Drake's form leaning over the small fountain, only it wasn't Drake. At least, at first glance, I didn't think it was Drake. His hair had been cut in a severe slope. The back was extremely short and it sloped down to shoulder length in the front. It also wasn't chocolate brown anymore. His hair flamed in a nice, deep crimson color.

For a moment, I thought I mistook his voice for someone else and I turned to leave, but then he spoke again. "I never meant to do this to you, Baby Girl…" he whispered. I turned back to see him pull himself up onto the edge of the fountain. He reached out, putting his hand on the side of Anna's face, as if caressing her cheeks. "I wish you were here because it seems like everything else it just going wrong…"

Tears slowly streamed down Drake's perfect face, leaving behind ruined makeup. He was dressed a little more like something Adam would probably fantasize about. His shorts were a little too short and they were pure white. His top left his belly button exposed. The top was white with a few details of gold and a gold over shirt hung from his shoulders, the sleeves rolled up to the elbows.

"Drake?" I whispered, stepping into the little cove. His blue eyes widened and his head snapped up to look at me. A mixture of emotions swam in his ocean eyes and he quickly wiped his tears and ruined makeup away from his cheeks.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, rubbing the makeup that smeared on his palms into the grass next to the fountain. I sighed deeply, walking towards him. I wanted to sit with him, but I didn't want to intrude on Drake's personal space. This was a place for him to mourn and be with his little sister, who, Adam said, was more like his daughter. The last thing I wanted to do was anger Drake by intruding on such an important place for him.

"I was hoping that we could talk without any interference from others. No Adam, no Cassidy, no one but you and me," I said, looking down at him. I came to a halt a few feet in front of him.

"I do not wish to speak with you," Drake said, pulling his knees up against his chest. His arms wound around them and he rested his chin on top of his knees, letting his flaming hair fan out around his face. "Now please just go away…" he whimpered, another tear rolling down his right cheek, like a beautiful work of art. Perhaps he should paint himself some day. He would be the most perfect model and muse.

I knelt in front of him, bowing in respect for a moment before sitting back up, resting on my knees. "Drake please," I pleaded. "I know you don't really like me much and I honestly cannot blame you for that in the slightest, but I really hate for us to be like this. I do not want you to hate me, I only want to do what is best for you and your happiness…"

"Then best thing for me would be for you to not be here, Alexander. I don't care what Adam says, he's going to resurface his feelings for you and you are going to drive us apart…" he said. His words were hurtful, harsh even, but his tone was more sorrowful and self pitying. He didn't really hate me but he did hate me being here all the time. He was truly terrified of me.

"No… Drake," I whispered, trying to make him see the truth. "That's not true. Adam _is in love with you_. His past relationship with me will never change the fact that he has married a most wonderful young man. He loves you more than anything. He's never going to give that up for a past relationship."

Drake looked up at me, his eyes set a blaze in a mixture of pain and loathing. The last time someone looked at me like that was… Well, I can't even remember. Even Brad didn't look at me like that. "If he doesn't still love you, why is he so desperate for you to be here?" he asked, the hatred fading from his eyes, leaving nothing but pain and misery there.

"He loves me, yes, but he isn't in love with me anymore. He'll never be in love with anyone but you, Drake. Can't you see that? Adam would die without you!" I exclaimed but Drake didn't want to hear it. He stood up, his arms still wrapped tightly around himself. It was only then that I could really see how different his hair was. It looked like he could probably still tie it into a lopsided ponytail, but it was so much different than what it used to be.

"Like he died without you?" Drake asked, frowning fiercely. "Sorry if I fail to see your logic."

"Drake please," I said, grabbing his wrist in my hands. "Please? Just listen to me, alright? Drake, Adam is so in love with you, it's almost disgusting. He doesn't want to let me walk out of his life again because we used to be so close, but he will never leave you for me. He'll never walk out on your marriage because you are the most important thing in his life! He loves you more than he ever loved me! I see it every time he looks at you!" I exclaimed. "His eyes blaze with desire and passion every single time he sees you. He smiles more brightly now than he ever did when we were lovers! He _needs_ you, Drake! Please understand that I'm not trying to come between you and Adam! I never will! I would never even dream of it!"

Tears spilled over the rims of Drake's eyes. "I'm sorry if I'm just not convinced of that. He spends more time with you than he does with me!" he cried. "He hasn't held a full length conversation with me in days. I'm sure all he ever thinks of is you! Please, please, don't preach to me about how much he loves me. I don't want to here it!" He was crying and shaking with sobs. I was sure whatever happened yesterday was only increasing his unstable emotions. I realized I wasn't really helping.

"Drake… Honey, please… I just want things to be right between us. I hate the fact that you hate me, I just want to get along. I want you to know that I'm not your enemy… I hope that someday you'll open up to me…" I whispered, reaching forward to cup Drake's cheeks in my hands.

I brushed his tears away with my thumbs, uncaring of the makeup that smeared across my fingers. For a moment, Drake leaned into my touch, but then his eyes opened wide and he pulled away from me, shaking his head softly. "I'm sorry," he mumbled and turned on his heels to rush back into his studio. I sighed deeply, staring after him.

Well, that could have gone a zillion times better.

Maybe the fact that he didn't pull away right away was a good thing? Maybe he wanted to reach out to me, he was just too uncomfortable and terrified to do it? But then again… he completely changed his hair, probably so he didn't look like me anymore… Fucking Ra.


	32. You Won't Let Me Fall

**Chapter Thirty-One: You Hold Me In Your Hands, You Won't Let Me Fall…  
Adam's POV**

'_Oh, Ra, what am I going to do?' _ I thought to myself, standing on the back balcony of mine and Drake's bedroom. Things had been.. well.. Less than perfect, to say the least, since our wedding, and, while I wasn't one for blaspheming or anything like that, I was curious to know if this was all some sort of punishment from the Gods for claiming someone so beautiful and perfect.

Weren't the times after you get married supposed to be some of the best? Aren't you supposed to be in the honeymoon stage where everything is perfect and blissful and you wouldn't have it any other way? Or was that for those who were more like commoners? People who didn't have a status or a legacy to keep. I wasn't sure. But I knew that, with everything going on, I was getting really sick of my situation.

Between Tommy falling ill with his fever and Alex coming back from Death, I wasn't sure what was up, down, left or right anymore. Drake and I were falling apart at the seams with one another because of Alex, but Alex was one of my closest, longest friends. Sweet Ra, we used to be _lovers_! But that's the key word, right there; "used" to. Not now. Not anymore.

Though, I understood Drake's fear in my feelings for Alex resurfacing to what they used to be, and that I would leave him to reclaim that old love. I did. I wouldn't want any previous lover of his to be present and compromise what we had. But couldn't he just trust our love? Couldn't he trust the devotion I had for him? Couldn't he believe me when I told him, so many times, that I loved him and _only_ him?

Sighing, I ran fingers through my hair, dragging it out of my face before I pushed off from the edge of the balcony. I had no interest in standing out here in the silence of my thoughts, watching my people wander through the gardens below. But, then again, I had no interest in dealing with a lot of things; like the stress that I had been under. But I couldn't escape it; it was constantly pressing itself to the front of my mind, making me want to tear my hair out.

'_Ra, give me the strength to make it through this maddening tension. Help Drake to see that I love him and will never leave him… Please…_' I prayed silently, crossing towards the door when I stopped, looking up at the mural that was painted on the outside wall of the palace.

It was a perfect recreation of myself leaning against the balcony, looking out towards the western part of Egypt with the sun and the distance setting everything a glow. Drake had painted this for me three years ago, before the whole instance with Brad. A shudder made its way down my spine when I thought of that traitor. I'm glad he's dead. And I normally don't wish such on people.

Venturing back into the bedroom, my thoughts went back to Drake. I hadn't seen him at all today. He woke up sometime before I did and hadn't come back to the room since then. I wasn't sure if he was visiting Tommy, working in his studio or wandering through the gardens. He could've been at the market, buying more supplies or something.

At any rate, I tried not to let his absence bother me, but it seemed rather inevitable. Drake and I rarely talked since Alex's arrival, and I knew that it upset him. It upset me, too; I had nothing to blame Alex for, but since he came back into my life, there had been a heavy weight the bond of mine and Drake's relationship, making it bend and ache.

I wanted to make things right between us. I wanted amends to be made between Drake and Alex so we could all have a normal life, again. I wanted Tommy to be healthy and happy so Drake could smile again. I wanted to apologize to Drake and make sweet, slow, passionate love to him to make up for all of the love lost between us. I wanted to do everything in my power to make my husband happy, but I wasn't sure how much power I truly had to make that happen…

I stepped over to the vanity table, taking a moment to look around at the vastness of the bedroom. In the three years that Drake and I had been lovers, the room's arrangement, color scheme and theme had changed at least ten times. At the moment, the bed was still in its usual spot in the center of the room, in the lowered platform. Blankets and pillows of cool blues and greens with silver accents decorated the massiveness, making it soft and sexy.

There were plants in a few corners, bringing life and freshness to the room. Murals that Drake painted decorated the walls, giving them a kind of secondary life to them. Sculptures that were made from fired clay or marble. Every inch of this place had Drake's artistic touch and influence to it. And seeing all of his handiwork made my heart ache more and more.

Had I, truly, been neglecting him? For Alex? For an old, past love of mine?

No… I didn't want to think of it as such. Alex wasn't my lover any longer, that I knew and understood better than anyone. Drake was, no. Drake was my lover, my husband, my friend, my life, my heart and my soul. He was my everything and, without him, I would cease to be. I couldn't remember how many times I've thanked the Gods for letting me and Tommy find him after he ran away three years ago. Endless nights, I spent, crying silently as I held him in my arms, knowing I'd been so close to losing him for forever. Knowing I could never make those mistakes again if I wanted to keep him.

But wasn't I making them by spending all of my time with Alex?

Sighing heavily, again, I wandered over to my wardrobe, grabbing the handles and pulling the doors open to retrieve fresh clothes. I reached in, taking a pair of white trousers with red and gold trim in my hands, letting them hang over my forearm as I reached for a matching vest. I crossed back towards the vanity, setting my clothes down on the back of the chair. Dinner was going start soon and I'd made up my mind about what I was going to do after. I would enjoy dinner with my husband and my friends before pulling Drake into this room and loving him like I should have been. Like he deserved.

I stripped, quickly, of the trousers that I'd worn to bed last night before slipping into the fresh ones, relishing in their soft and tight feel. I tossed the worn trousers aside, making a mental note to take care of my laundry tomorrow as I sat down in the vanity chair, taking a glance at my reflection.

There were dark circles along the undersides of my eyes, no doubt from the stress I'd been dealing with and the fact that I hadn't really gotten any good sleep in the past few days. Fortunately it wasn't anything that a touch of makeup couldn't fix, but I didn't like the idea of being so tired that I needed to use it in the first place. But I couldn't take back the way my body was appearing. I just needed to try harder and get more rest.

I reached for a small container, unscrewing the lid before dabbing my fingers into the soft, plush powder, smearing it along the circles and shadows. Using the pads of my fingertips, I rubbed the powder in, evening it out as the circles started to vanish. I had to repeat the process once more before they were gone entirely.

I smiled softly, grabbing the eye liner before applying it in thick, elegant swipes, coming off of the corners of my eyes just a little bit. Using a finger tip, I smeared them just enough to give them a more worn and roughed up kind of a look. I wasn't really into the ancient Egyptian ways of leaving them solid and heavy. I liked making them different.

Just over the eye liner, I smeared a charcoal-colored eye shadow over my lids, enjoying how the rustic shade of it made my eyes look a little less blue and a little more grey. Smiling softly, I set the makeup aside, grabbing my vest and sliding it over my shoulders, letting it hand open and loose. I bent down, grabbing my sandals before slipping my feet into them and strapping them on around my ankles and legs.

I stood from the chair, walking across the room towards the doors. Inhaling slowly, I reached forward, taking the handles into my palms before pushing them open, stepping out into the hallway. Servants were hurrying back and forth to finish their duties before dinner, giving me a bow of their head before rushing off. I smiled to them as they passed, trying to decide the best place to start looking for Drake. But, as I turned to my right, I realized I didn't have to search at all, for he turned the corner, heading my direction.

The first thing that I noticed was that Drake was not covered in paint, which meant he could not have been in his studio working. It did not matter if he was painting a small picture or a massive mural, he always managed to get some sort of paint on his skin or on his clothes. But because there was none of that, I knew he had not been there.

The second thing that I noticed was the outfit in which Drake was dressed. He was not wearing the normal trousers and shirt or anything modest that he was more likely to wear. He was in an outfit that made me want to press him against the wall of the hallway and fuck him until he screamed.

Pure white shorts that clung to his beautifully toned thighs, no doubt curving just right to his ass. They stopped at his hips, letting his "lover" tattoos stand out gorgeously against his skin. His top was cropped short, exposing his belly button, coming up and over his shoulders like a tank; it had gold accents on the hems. To top it all off was a golden shirt with the sleeves rolled up around his elbows, the front left open to show off the white.

The third and final thing was what made me stare. Drake's normal, rich and chocolaty brown hair was cropped into a sort of A-line cut; short in the back, sloping longer in the front. His bangs still ended at his shoulders, and I had no doubt that he'd still be able to pull it into his usual lopsided ponytail. But that wasn't the point. It was the fact that it was cut and styled in a way that I'd never seen before…

And it was a deep crimson color.

"Drake?" I muttered, catching his attention. His head lifted, his eyes meeting mine. Eye liner rimmed around his almond-shaped blue eyes with delicate traces of silvery makeup. But it looked a little ruined, and I wondered if he'd been crying at some point today.

"Adam," Drake replied, coming up beside me. I hadn't blinked once, and my eyes kept wandering from his body to his hair and back, indecisive of where they should stay. I reached up slowly with my hand, touching, first, his face before sliding them up into his hair, stroking the locks. They were soft as ever, burning like fire in the sunlight. Drake looked away from me as I ran my fingers through his hair.

It was a shock, to say the least. I had never expected Drake to do something so drastic with his hair, but… I liked it. I loved his rich brown hair before, but this was definitely a nice change. Though, I had to wonder if he did it because Alex's hair was exactly like his; overgrown and rich in its chocolate color.

I smiled softly at Drake, curling my fingers under his chin, tilting his head up so I could press my lips to his. Drake moaned against my mouth, his hands coming up to latch themselves to my shoulders as I deepened our kiss, cupping his face in both of my palms, my tongue sliding into his mouth. He whined softly, battling my tongue with his, pushing his way into my mouth for a moment before we pulled away, slightly breathless.

"I love you," I whispered, my heart skipping beats. No matter our circumstance, telling him that I loved him always made me feel weak with passion.

"I love you, too," he whispered, smiling and blushing. I chuckled, kissing him gently before stroking his hair again.

"I like this color. It suits you nicely," I told him and he blushed further, leaning into my touch as I caressed his cheek. I wanted so badly to take him back to our room and love him so sweetly, but I knew that we needed to go to dinner first. Well… We didn't _need_ to, but it was probably for the best.

"Shall we, love?" I inquired, holding my arm out for him. Drake laughed gently, looping his arm with mine, leaning into me with a smile on his face.

"We shall," he replied.

The walk to the dining hall didn't take very long. Drake and I didn't say much, but having one another was more than comfortable, to say the least. The sun was dipping behind the horizon, casting warm shadows down the hallways and setting the dining room ablaze. Our fellow diners were small in their numbers; Alex, Cassidy, Hiei— at Cassidy's request—, Roza, Amalia, Eric, Jonah and Hayden.

Drake smiled at his family, at Cassidy and even Hiei, but did not seem to acknowledge Alex in the slightest. I mentally frowned when I noticed Alex look away from us, appearing sullen in expression, but trying his damndest to hide it. I sighed softly, pressing a kiss to Drake's hair line before taking my seat at the head of the table with Drake to my right. Alex was to my left on his side of the table, next to Drake's mother, sister and younger brother. Across from Alex was Cassidy and Hiei with Eric and Jonah.

"Took you two long enough," Cassidy teased and I blushed lightly, waving him off as Drake chuckled beside me. I took his hand in mine, letting them rest on the table as the first of our three courses came out to us.

There was idle chatter between most everyone. Alex kept mostly to himself unless he was asked something from Drake's family or Cassidy. Drake spoke to me, his family— with the exception of Eric— Cassidy and even Hiei. I was more focused on the things that I was going to whisper, lovingly, in Drake's ear as I fucked him so slow and gently. It was almost a wonder that the beginnings of my arousal weren't obvious on my face as I squeezed Drake's hand lightly.

The second course came out not too long after we'd finished our first. I glanced over at Hiei, seeing an expression on his face that read that he was getting full with food. I smiled softly, reminiscing of the time when Drake had first been brought here, how he couldn't finish all of his food, either. But Hiei was a slightly larger in build that Drake, so I had only assumed that he'd be able to handle the amount of food. But I had been wrong.

Less than half-way through my second course, though, I began to feel strange. I couldn't explain what it was, but I felt nauseas. Like something wasn't agreeing with my stomach or something. But I kept eating, figuring that something from the first course just wasn't appealing to my system.

But it seemed that, with every bite that I took the nausea got worse. My vision kept blurring in and out of focus and my breathing was getting heavy. I set my fork down, licking my lips and reaching for my glass of wine, wondering if I was going to be sick or not. I took a drink, swallowing it before grimacing. It tasted old all of a sudden…

"Adam?" I heard Drake say my name, but it was as if it was from a tunnel. Like someone had cupped their hands over my ears and he was trying to call to me from the end of a tunnel. I turned, my moves sluggish and unbalanced as I looked at him. My vision blurred again, but I could feel him touching me. It was like his hands were electrifying, and I shivered, groaning in pain until his hand slipped from my arm.

"Adam?" Drake said, a little more urgently. I looked away from him, my head beginning to pound and my hands beginning to shake. I felt cold. I felt sick. I needed to get up and lay down. I even tried pushing my chair back to stand, but my legs failed me and I tumbled to the floor, narrowly missing the table. People called out to me, but I couldn't differentiate voices. Hands touched me and I screamed before choking on a breath.

Someone turned me over just in time for me to vomit onto the dining hall floor, but it smelled strange to me. It wasn't like the regular scent of vomit— and, believe me, I knew what that smelled like. It smelled metallic almost, like there was something other than the food I'd just eaten… Someone touched me again and I groaned, coughing and sputtering up something that looked deep in color, reddish. It tasted salty on my lips as I coughed again, feeling it pool in the back of my throat. Blood.

"_Adam!_" Of all the jumbled voices, I recognized Drake's. I recognized the fear and the concern and the pain and agony in his voice. I recognized the scream of his, his hands on my face— the only hands that didn't hurt. My eyes fluttered and I stared up at him through a blurred vision that kept slipping in and out of focus.

Drake… My heart was pounding in my chest as I coughed again, my body trembling in Drake's arms as his hands caressed my face and pushed my hair out of the way. Blood and spit trickled down the side of my face and I wheezed, trying to catch my breath. Breathing was becoming hard and all I could think in my head was _I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I love you…_

"I… love you.."


	33. And I'll No Longer Be Paranoid

**Chapter Thirty-Two: And I'll No Longer Be Paranoid, No More Reason to Be Annoyed  
Drake's POV**

The time between Adam falling out of his chair at dinner to the doctor showing up was, perhaps, the most terrifying hour of my life. We had somehow managed to get Adam off the floor and into the nearest bedroom so he had a place to lay down. He kept coughing up blood and mumbling "I love you" before he finally just passed out all together.

When he first stopped responding to me, I thought he had died, or he was dying, but I could still see the rise and fall of his chest. The doctor had ordered everyone out of the room once he arrived, but I didn't want to leave Adam. I held tightly to his hand, but Cassidy and Hiei pulled me out of the room, trying to comfort me.

It was pointless though. I was shaking like a junkie without a fix and tears were streaming down my cheeks. Hiei stood with me, cupping my face in his hands. He kept pushing my tears off of my face, but new ones simply replaced the forgotten tears. I couldn't control the sobbing because what I'd seen in the dining hall seemed to be me witnessing the death of my husband. Things hadn't been great lately, but my love for Adam hadn't faded. I loved him more than anything and the idea of losing him, especially at such a young age, was haunting.

One day, years from now, Adam was supposed to be well into his years and pass peacefully. Not… not like this, not when he was still so young and not when I was still in my early twenties! I wasn't supposed to be a widower for years and years, but it seemed like a very real possibility now.

"Drake, honey, shh," Hiei kept whispering to me, stroking my face with the feather light sweeps of his thumbs and fingers. "It's alright, Drake. The doctor is going to take care of him, alright?" I knew he wanted nothing more than to comfort me. He seemed to even be a little protective of me, but it made sense. If I hadn't told Adam I disagreed with his decisions about Hiei's punishment, he would have been shipped right off to the dungeons with all those other horrible men. I'd, in a sense, saved him and if we spent more time together, I was sure we would be closer than brothers in an instant.

Cassidy stood with me, attempting to comfort me as well but he was doing and even worse job than Hiei. I wished for Tommy to be here. His arms would have been comforting to fall into but I longed for Adam's arms more… He had to be alright. I couldn't handle things if he wasn't.

Alexander stood across the hall and every time I managed a glimpse of him through my tears and fire-y hair, I could see the confliction in his eyes. He was upset about Adam, that much was clear, but he also looked like he wanted to come over to me, perhaps try to talk to me again and comfort me, but our earlier conversation (if it could even be called one) kept him at bay. Good, I didn't want to deal with him or my problems with him right now. The only thing that did matter was Adam, and every moment the doctor took, was like another cut across already slashed wrists.

Eventually the doctor came out with his bag all packed up. He was greeted with several pairs of eyes burning into him, like if we stared at him long enough, we would be able to read what he was thinking. "Is he okay?" I asked, amazed that I even managed to speak without slurring or stuttering. I stepped away from Cassidy and Hiei to join the doctor, who was looking straight at me now.

"He's been poisoned," he said. "He seemed to realize that there was something wrong with his food before he ate too much of it, but it's going to take a while to get it completely out of his body. He threw up a lot of it, but there's some in his system that can't be helped."

"Is he going to be okay?" I demanded, urgency rushing through my being. Someone poisoned my husband? The _Pharaoh_ of _Egypt_? Sure, people tried to kill high officials all the time, but Adam? Who would have even tried? The people who worked close to him were so loyal to him and they loved him. Most of Egypt loved him for all the work he did to make their lives better. The only person I knew who didn't think Adam deserved the power he had was Brad, and Brad was fucking dead. Hundreds upon hundreds of people saw his head roll, quite literally.

The doctor sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose. He was the same, elderly man who had come to check on Tommy's condition. "He should be fine, but his body is going to need to rid itself of the poison on its own. The Pharaoh has a healthy immune system. His liver should be able to take care of it, but he will need time and lots of rest. I sedated him, so, hopefully, he'll be able to sleep through the worst of the pains," he said, bowing his head at me. "I was hoping to check on Thomas while I was here," he said and I nodded, dismissing him to Tommy's chamber.

Who could have poisoned Adam? The only two people who had recently come into the palace were Hiei and Alexander. Hiei might have been caught stealing, but as I said to Adam the day of the trails, he was just doing what he needed to for survival. I didn't believe he was a horrible person in the slightest and he really wouldn't have had the time to poison Adam. He was with Cassidy all hours of the day, doing his chores.

That only really left Alexander… It really didn't make sense though. Why would he want to poison Adam? If anything, he should want to poison _me_ because _I_ was the one in between him and his former lover. Perhaps our plate had been mixed and Adam received the food that should have gone to me? I didn't want to think Alexander really would have done something like that to anyone, especially Adam or myself, but I didn't know him at all and, honestly, Adam didn't really know him anymore either. He knew an Alexander from ten years ago. A lot could have happened in ten years…

One other thought did come to my mind, but it seemed so unlikely. The man who had killed Anna when Brad was imprisoned. He was never found even though guards had been searching everywhere for him. It didn't seem likely that he would wait so long to attack Adam after his attack on Anna and, now that Brad was dead and gone, what the Hell would his motivation have been to continue his work? Surely he didn't believe he could pull that bastard's plan off by himself.

As much as I hated to accuse people of things before there was any, real, proof, I felt a surge of hatred for Alexander surge through my blood. Adrenaline coursed through my veins and I, for a moment, wanted to relive that night, three years ago in the library. The only difference? My victim wouldn't be Alexander's statue, but Alexander himself. In my mind, Alexander was already guilty, but that was probably because I would have jumped at any reason for Adam not to want him around, for Adam to cast him away.

I should have believed Adam loved me enough to keep his old feelings for another man down. I should have listened to Adam every time he told me he loved me but I was terribly afraid of what Adam's heart really was. I was so afraid of losing his affections to his former lover, that it had driven me damned near to hating Alexander. I didn't like the feeling. I hated the fact that I felt the need to hate him, the feeling of hatred at all. The only person I truly hated in this world (well, not anymore) was Brad. I may have extreme dislikes of some people, like my supposed father— and Eric was also pushing himself towards the top of that list— but hate them? No.

Never.

"What have you done?" I mumbled, turning towards Alexander. "What did you _do_?" I hissed, baring my teeth at the older version of myself. Truly, this was the reason behind my new hair. I hated looking so much like a person that I couldn't stand to be around and I was fucking sick of everyone thinking he was me. I was tired of people showing him respect that he didn't deserve and I was fucking done with people actually believing that he was Adam's lover.

Alexander's eyes went wide and he backed away from me until his back hit the far wall of the corridor. "What?" he asked, his hands coming up into the air defensively. "I didn't do this!"

My muscles tightened. I imagined this is what a panther felt like when it crouched back to attack the prey it had been stalking. Cassidy and Hiei must have seen what I was going to do before I even knew I was going to do it, because they were at my side in a moment, grabbing my arms over the tattoos that were hidden by my shirt.

"Drake…" Cassidy mumbled, holding me back. "Alexander didn't do this, I can assure you and, until we find out who did do this, you will need to make sure you have someone with you at all times. If someone attacked Adam, they are liable to attack you. Someone will probably need to check your food for you too…" Great, on top of everything that had been happening since mine and Adam's wedding night, I'd been assigned a fucking babysitter. "Are you feeling alright right now?" he asked, turning me to face him.

"Am I feeling alright? Fuck no! I just watched my husband die in front of me. Am I feeling sick like he was? No; do I look like I'm puking my guts out all over the floor?" I asked, a little on the harsh side. I didn't mean to be so cruel, but my anxiety, my anger and my worry were boiling through my blood. I couldn't control much of anything and, for a moment, I wondered if this is what women experienced when they were pregnant or PMSing.

Cassidy sighed, glancing up at Alexander. "You should probably go to bed. We'll have the guards search the palace immediately for anyone who might be responsible for this, but it's not safe. You should make sure you're locked up safe and sound for tonight," he said to the brunette. Alexander nodded, a sad, almost disappointed look in his eyes as he glanced at me. He turned, leaving Cassidy, Hiei and myself alone. Cassidy told Hiei to go find a few guards so they could begin their search, but Cassidy remained with me, even as Hiei scurried off.

"Drake, I know this isn't easy for you. It isn't for any of us but especially you…" he said, tucking a finger under my chin so I had no choice but to look at him. "But Alexander didn't do this, I'm positive. He's as likely to poison Adam as you are." That made me want to punch Cassidy, but I didn't. I also didn't argue any of the points I had made in my head. He probably wouldn't have listened to them anyone. Nobody would because they all thought Alexander was the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Everyone thought I was crazy when I got bad vibes from Brad too. Look who was right about him! Oh right, that was me!

"I don't want guards to stay with me," I said, instead of getting into another argument about Alexander. I'd had enough of those with Adam. I didn't want anymore.

"Hiei and I will stay with you, okay? We aren't going to make you stay with some guards that you probably don't even know," he said. He took me several yards down the hall, to where a marble bench was sitting against the wall. He sat, pulling me down next to him and his arm wrapped protectively around me, the other holding my hand tightly.

I leaned into his comfort. Cassidy had become a very close person to me over the years. I loved him like I might love an older brother, well, a close brother anyway. Sometimes I thought he might be what a good father figure might be like, but I loved him a way that didn't seem right for a father. I couldn't really explain it though.

"Drake… There's something that I should probably inform you of," he said softly into my hair. He pressed gentle kisses into my hair and scalp every so often and it comforted me to a point I didn't really believe was possible at the moment. "Adam asked me not to say anything to you. He said he wanted to tell you when he felt the time was right but, seeing as the current circumstances call for you needing to know…"

My heart was pounding loudly in my chest. I couldn't imagine what it was that Cassidy needed to tell me, but I was almost afraid to know it. I coughed, forcing a dry lump in my throat down, before looking up at Cassidy. I was almost sure my eyes betrayed my fear. "What is it, Cass?" I asked. His hand let go of mine and moved to cup my face. He ran the pads of his fingers lightly over the soft skin, caressing it almost the exact same way Adam would.

"Adam…" he began, inhaling deeply through his nose. It looked like he wanted to look away from me, but he kept his eyes locked on mine. "He wrote his will a few weeks before your wedding," he said, his hand lying flat against my cheek.

"What…? Why? Was there… something wrong with him?" I asked, my heart already beginning to ache, as if he had already told me Adam was terminally ill or something.

"No, no…" Cassidy said, shaking his head softly, "There wasn't anything wrong with him, he just wanted to… be sure that, if something back were to happen, arrangements would be made to keep Egypt going. He thought that, if he didn't have a chance to pick one of your brothers before his passing, he needed to make sure someone was able to take his place."

That was another thing I needed to worry about. Adam named my brothers his heirs, but I felt that Eric would never be able to take his place. Even before Eric told me I never should have been born, I felt he was too rash and irrational to be Pharaoh. Hayden was still so young, I had no idea what type of Pharaoh he might make. I felt my second youngest brother, Jonah, might be best for the position…

"Okay?" I whispered, wiping away the tears that clung to my face and the new ones that were hanging onto my eyelids. "Why are you telling me this?" I asked. I failed to see how Adam's will had anything to do with the current situation. The doctor said Adam would be _fine_.

Cassidy sighed again, his thumb stroking my cheek gently. "He named you his heir if anything were to happen to him. He gave you everything in his will, Drake," he said. My heart, I would have sworn on my mother's life, stopped in mid-beat. "He left you the entire palace, all of his belongings and his throne. If, Ra forbid, anything were to happen to him before he was able to rightfully choose an heir, you would be given the throne."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Was Adam coocoo bananas? Being married and having some power over Egypt was one thing, but to be Pharaoh? No, I couldn't do that. I wasn't cut out for a job like that! I… would never be able to do what Adam could do…

"Okay… Okay…" I mumbled, not really able to respond much to what was being said to me. "So?"

"So, his will also states that, if for whatever reason, he is unable to fulfill his duties as Pharaoh for any given amount of time, the position was to be yours until he was fit to take it back," Cassidy said. "That includes now. You heard the doctor; he's going to heal, but it's going to take some time. Egypt can't just not have a Pharaoh for that time so… you're going to need to fill in for him." My heart, again, stopped in my chest. Knowing I was next in line for the throne was overwhelming enough. Being thrown into the position? Completely different matter entirely.

But I couldn't really say no. Adam entrusted me with his throne and I couldn't just turn down the wishes of my husband… If he felt leaving me his position was the best thing for Egypt, than I would do everything in my power to make sure that I proved his decision was a good one. I just wasn't entirely sure that I could do a good job as Pharaoh.

"Okay… So I'm temporarily the Pharaoh of Egypt… Okay…" I mumbled, shaking my head some. I was still in shock.

"Drake," Cassidy whispered after long moment of silence. "I need you to know that he has given all of this to you because he loves you and there is no one in this world or the next that he trusts more than he trusts you," he whispered. I looked up at him, tears brimming in my eyes as I nodded my understanding.

I never should have questioned Adam's love for me. This proved it.

Hiei came back with several guards just then and Cassidy left me on the bench to speak with them. Soon enough, every guard in and around the palace were organized into a giant search team to look throughout the building for whoever did this to Adam and, as much as I hated to admit it, I probably owed Alexander an apology. That didn't necessarily mean he was going to get it anytime soon, though.

Adam was more important.


	34. Always Condemning Me

**Chapter Thirty-Three: Everyone's Pointing Their Fingers, Always Condemning Me…**

**Alex's POV**

Sitting near Adam, watching him enjoy his meal with his hand cupped over Drake's on the table, made me feel a little more comfortable than I had in the past few days. To see him looking so content with where he was made me curious to know if he'd worked things out with Drake but happy, enough, for him and his pleasant aura to not need to know. I could only assume that things were going to be okay and that, eventually, mine and Drake's situation would get better.

I'd been dead wrong.

I'd noticed that, during the second course, Adam began to grow a little pale in his face. He looked to be having difficulty swallowing his food and drink; like they tasted bad or made him hurt. I'd wanted to ask him if he was okay, but Drake beat me to the punch for such words, and I kept my mouth shut as Adam took a drink of his wine, again. He grimaced a little, growing even paler.

His skin was beginning to look ashy and clammy, almost, with a touch of sweat forming in his forehead. He was breathing hard as he pushed his chair back, trying to stand to his feet. I watched him begin to move a little when his legs failed him and he fell, his head narrowly missing the corner of the dining table.

My heart crashed to a stop.

I shot to my feet from my own chair, but I was frozen to my spot. Drake, Cassidy, and, who I could only imagine to be Drake's mother, clamored to Adam, trying to talk to him, trying to get him to respond as they reached for him, touching him. Adam cried out in something that sounded like agony when skin came in contact with his own.

They rolled Adam over in time for him to vomit the food he'd just eaten. My stomach flopped over itself and I fought back a gag, palming a hand over my mouth as the contents of Adam's stomach sprayed out on the floor. But it was wrong. It was all wrong. It was red in color, reeking of a metallic scent. Reeking of blood.

My heart tumbled over itself, but, still, I could not move. I couldn't even force myself to move. I could only stand and stare across the table and down at them as Adam vomited again, shaking like a leaf in a stiff wind. And as Drake pulled Adam close, I could see tears in the younger boy's eyes, streaking down his face. Each tear was a work of art, but Drake— sobbing— was utterly tragic.

This was not the first time, sad as it was, that I'd seen Drake cry. It was not the first time I'd seen him so upset, whether it was with grief or absolute rage— though, I was sure, that I hadn't really seen the true extent of such rage. No… This was not the first time I'd seen Drake cry.

It was, however, the first time I saw agony, fear and utter denial in him. And to see him in such a state of mine, knowing that it would be suicide of me to try and go to comfort him, broke my heart.

It took the doctor an hour to come to the palace, go to the room in which we'd taken Adam to lie down in, to come back out bearing the news that he'd been poisoned during his dinner. An hour of Drake weeping in the arms of a servant whose name I did not know but whose face was a little more than appealing to the eye. Cassidy whispered gentle words to Drake, but nothing seemed to soothe him in the least. It was an hour of silence from me, for there was no one I'd wished to speak to other than Drake. However, I knew, he had no interest in speaking to me.

Though… To hear from the doctor that Adam— _Adam_, of all people— had been poisoned… It was like a knife to the heart. A scalding hot butcher's knife, chopping and severing the heart to blackened pieces.

It was hard to breathe when the doctor bowed in respect to Drake before cutting around the darkened corner to tend to Tommy's illness. It was hard to think that Adam… _My _Adam had been.. No. He wasn't mine. That hurt enough. But to know that Adam was poisoned and I couldn't do _anything_ about it… I couldn't go to him, comfort him or check on him. I couldn't even…

"What have you done…?" I heard Drake hiss in my direction. I turned, staring hard at the younger man, my heart stuttering in my chest as my mouth went dry. Staring at his face, into eyes that had turned back with such loathing and rage, I felt a tremor of fear. A cold twinge shook me from within, and I found myself without voice or breath.

"What did you _do_?" Drake screamed, his body tensing as he bared his teeth at me. Cassidy and the young servant, the one who had been comforting Drake not five minutes before, were suddenly at his sides, grabbing his arms to hold him back before he could even think to pounce and attack me. My mouth gaped open a little, and I backed up against the wall, holding my hands up in defense as I tried to tell him that this wasn't my fault. That I hadn't done this. I _couldn't_ have done this!

I just couldn't have. Adam used to be my lover. Before he was my lover, he was my best friend. I would never— in this life or the next— wish for any harm to come to upon him. And, yet, Drake was accusing me of poisoning the one man whose happiness and life I cared for more than my own!

Cassidy told me to go to bed and make sure that my room was secure before he pulled Drake aside. I didn't want to leave them, though I knew that Drake would not want me around him any longer tonight. Who was I to hope that things would be better between us after he'd just accused me of being Adam's attempted-killer? Who was I to hope for anything…

I sighed softly, nodding once before turning on my heel and making my way down the hall towards my room. Part of me wanted to turn around and run right back to Drake. Another part wanted to run to Adam and stay with him, even though I knew it was not my place. It wasn't my place to even be here! My presence had caused nothing but pain for everyone…

It made me wonder… If Adam had just let me leave, would he be sick right now? Would his life had been threatened?

'_Don't think like that. Don't. Just don't. Adam wouldn't want you to._' Adam… Ra, why do you curse me so? Why do you push me so forcefully back into Adam's life and taunt me with his never-fading beauty? Why do you give me back to him when he can't, really, have me back, at all? I stopped by my bedroom, door, resting a hand on the wood. I was tired and I needed sleep, but something told me that I wasn't going to be able to sleep tonight.

'_What are you going to do? Drake wants nothing to do with you, but he's hurting. He's hurting because his lover almost died tonight. He may not really like you right now, but you know Adam better than anyone else… Even more so than Cassidy… But… Maybe that's not the case. Ten years is a long time, Alex… Maybe Adam's changed…_' I thought to myself, leaning heavily against the door.

I didn't want to think that Adam had changed. He still appeared to be the same. He still talked the same. Laughed the same. Smiled the same. Adam was still Adam, and he would always be Adam. The only difference between now and ten years ago was that instead of me being his lover, being his husband, he had Drake—

Drake.. He was the perfect man. The perfect match to Adam. He knew how to make Adam smile. He knew how to make Adam laugh. He knew how to make Adam be the Adam that I used to see… Drake was a beautiful person, inside and out. He was intelligent, he was adorable, he was likeable, charming, funny, artistic…

And he needed comfort. He needed to know that Adam was going to be okay. And, whether he liked it or not, he needed me…

I pushed off from the door, spinning on my heel before hurrying down the hallway again. I knew that Cassidy told me to go and stay in my room tonight in case Adam's attempted-killer came looking for anyone else. I knew that Drake wasn't going to be happy to see me again tonight, but what else could I do? Adam had been poisoned and Drake was unstable.

Rounding a corner, I rushed down the corridor, breathing lightly and trying to think of what room Drake might've gone to. I couldn't imagine that he would have gone to stay with Adam— the doctor instructed that no one stay with him tonight. Part of me had a feeling that Cassidy, at least, would want to stay with him, but Drake was known to be stubborn, as I was.

Ra, the more I thought about it, the more alike we, truly, were.

I shook my head of the thoughts that were running about, trying to clear it some as I turned another corner. I could see the door to the room in which we'd taken Adam to earlier, and a little farther down the hall was the dining room, which meant that around the corner at the end of this hall and down the corridor would be Adam and Drake's room. The very room I used to spend my nights with Adam in..

'_Stop it. That time is over. Adam's moved on. You've moved on. Remember, Alex, his happiness is far more important than anything else right now… Well, his health comes first, then his happiness. And his happiness is Drake's._' I sighed softly, hesitating some. Part of me had a feeling to go to the room in which Adam was resting, and another said to go down towards Adam and Drake's room.

But why go to the room that Adam was in? …Simple. Drake must've been there.

I inhaled slowly, licking my lips before pivoting on my foot some, turning towards the door. My heart was pounding in my chest as the moonlight washed through the windows of the hallway. It must've been little after midnight, but I could not tell for sure, nor did I really care. All I cared about was finding Drake. I needed to make things right. Ra… If.. If Adam didn't make it, I knew Drake wouldn't be able to make it. He needed all the support and love he could get while Adam was ill…

Pressing my hand to the door, I started to curl it to knock before thinking twice, and I reached for the handle, pushing it open as quietly as I could. Slipping into the room, I found the lights to be dim, but on, and I could make out the figure of Drake sitting on his knees next to the bed, holding Adam's hand in both of his. He was shaking, crying softly as Adam slept in quiet, his skin still pale.

I bit down on my lip. Drake hadn't noticed me, and I was tempted to turn and just leave. Who was I to intrude on his alone time with Adam? Who had I been to intrude on their life at all? Wasn't it bad enough when Tommy fell ill? Was that not stress enough for them both? And then I had to come barreling into their lives like I owned the palace. Hell, some of the servants had mistaken me for Drake before he cut and dyed his hair…

But I couldn't leave. I'd come this far. And whether he liked it or not, Drake was going to accept the fact that I was here for him.

"Drake," I whispered, and the boy's back went rigid. He gasped softly, turning his head to face me. The cut of his hair swished, the ends coming past his chin, framing his face and making him look… Breathtaking, even in his grief. I could see exactly why Adam would love him so much.

"What do you want?" Drake hissed at me, tears cascading down his cheeks, but he did not look sorrowful in the least. He looked angry. Hateful. I could not blame him.

"I came… I came to apologize. For everything. Please, please forgive me," I whispered, taking a step closer to him, letting the door swing shut. Drake's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowed some and he seemed to squeeze Adam's hand in his. I swallowed the lump in my throat, hesitating in mid-step.

"Your apology is not accepted, Alexander," Drake snarled. He was the only one who called me by my full name. He refused to call me "Alex".

I sighed softly, finishing my step before taking another, "Well that's a shame, then, isn't it? Because I'm not going anywhere, Drake. Do I have any intention in taking your place in Adam's heart and in his bed? Absolutely not. My intention is to see that you and Adam are happy together. That you live to see the fullest of your days, well into your years. Not like this," I said, motioning to Adam. Drake frowned, glaring at me before looking away.

"You accuse me of poisoning Adam when you know, perhaps, better than anyone else that I love Adam," I explained to Drake, taking another step. "Please, understand that I would never do this to him. There was only one man I have ever wished such cruelty upon, and he has been gone for quite some time," I knew there would come a day where I would tell Drake that Brad had violated me, too. But tonight was not the night for that. Tonight was not the night for a lot of things, actually.

"Can't _you_ understand my logic?" Drake questioned, glaring up at me with tear-filled eyes. "Can't _you_ understand my fear in your being here, at all?"

"Yes," I whispered, "yes, I can. I can Drake. Please, though, I don't want to be with Adam when he has someone so perfect like you. He's happier with you than he ever was with me," I said, taking another step before kneeling down next to Drake. He shied away from me, curling close to the side of the bed, clinging to Adam's hand.

"Drake… Please," I whispered, reaching out for him. But he raised his hand, slapping my palm away.

"Leave me. Leave _us_," he seethed, and I had no doubt that he was referring to Adam as well. I sighed heavily, my shoulders slouching forward a little bit. I wanted to comply to his wishes and leave him, but I couldn't. I couldn't give in anymore.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, looking up at him, "But I just can't do that, Drake," I told him, my jaw locking itself into place as I stared hard at him. He looked baffled that I had so openly defied him, and in the presence of the Pharaoh— however out of it he might've been. Drake's mouth dropped slightly and he stared back at me before snapping it shut.

"You dare defy me?" He hissed, wanting to use his power as Pharaoh's Husband to his advantage. I swallowed the lump that was lodged in my throat before speaking.

"Yes," I retaliated, reaching forward and grabbing him by the shoulders, pulling him to me in a tight embrace. Drake struggled against me, squirming and groaning before letting go of Adam's hand and pressing his palms to my chest, forcing me back. I lost my balance and fell back onto my backside, staring hard at him through the curtain of my hair.

Pushing my hair out of my face, I sat back to my knees, grabbing Drake's upper arm. I snaked an arm around his waist, my arm sliding over his shoulders and across his back as I slammed him close to me again, holding him tight to my chest. He struggled again before stopping briefly when I felt him begin to shake. Before I knew it, Drake had gone from fighting me and trying to get me away from him to fisting his hands into my shirt and crying heavily into my shoulder.


	35. Hold Me Up When I'm Not Strong Enough

**Chapter Thirty-Four: Hold Me Up When I'm Not Strong Enough  
Drake's POV**

If someone asked me why I was so harsh towards Alexander one minute and clinging to him like a lost child finally found by his mother, I wouldn't be able to give you an answer. I wasn't entirely sure what brought on the change in my attitude towards him, but after crying into his shoulder for almost an hour, I didn't hate him as much as I believed I did.

Perhaps I didn't hate him at all.

It was completely true that I didn't like Alexander being around the palace, and more importantly my husband, all the time. But I never thought that he was a bad person. I was jealous of him and I was scared to death that he was going to take Adam from me, but did I truly believe he hurt Adam? No, of course I didn't. He loved Adam, just like I did. That bothered me to some extend and comforted me to other extents.

Last night was the night Alexander had defied me in front of Adam (even if he was out of it). Last night was the night he forced me to let him comfort me and last night was the night I gave into him. As I've said, I couldn't tell you why, but when Alexander was holding me, it was like a mutual understanding of the other passed between us. I felt what was in his heart even if he wasn't talking. There was this feeling between us, like we'd been through the same hardship. Like, for a moment, we were the same person.

That feeling left me iffy. When I first found out about him, three years ago, I hated that we were similar. I still hated it because people confused us now. I didn't like being so much like someone. I felt like I wasn't an individual sometimes, even if I knew better, but Alexander and I were different people. We had different interests and we acted differently in a lot of respects. However, we also identical in a lot of ways too. We were intelligent and we were stubborn. We loved the same man and, for what I felt while I was in his arms last night, I had a feeling that we'd both experienced some horrible things that people shouldn't have to go through.

I didn't really understand the sudden connection to him. It was what I imagined twins felt like with one another. Alexander and I weren't related by blood, but we could have been twins, if it were possible for twins to be born thirteen years apart. The link that had sprouted between Alexander and myself scared the living shit out of me, but I surprisingly did not resent it. Maybe it was a good thing to understand the man on an intimate level. Adam wanted us to be friends. Alexander wanted my approval and my friendship. I didn't want to constantly hate and loath him just for being here.

It would be healthy for everyone in the palace if Alexander and I got along and, truthfully, Alexander was right. He said he wouldn't be going anywhere, and I knew that was true. Adam loved me. He was married to me, but now that he knew Alexander was alive, he didn't want to lose him again, even if they were nothing more than friends. I had to believe Adam loved me because if I was constantly hateful towards Alexander because of my fear, I wouldn't be so loveable anymore.

I needed to get over my own problems, even if I still felt threatened by the older version of myself. Alexander wasn't going anywhere. I wasn't going anywhere. Wasn't it healthy for everyone if Alexander and I had a decent relationship? Ra, I had been so blinded by my jealousies and my fear, I didn't even realize how sour I had been since Alexander had come here… Over the last few weeks, especially since Tommy wasn't around to help me out, I'd become incredibly rude and sarcastic.

I didn't like that feeling. I used to be so loveable and adorable (unless I was naked in Adam's bed). Now? Now I seemed like a bitter old woman and I was only twenty-fucking-one year old.

Adam needed Alexander and I to be on good terms, perhaps even be friends. I still have no idea how, but last night was the start of that. Crying into Alexander's shoulder for only Ra knows how long had built a sort of blood bond between us that neither one of us had any control over. We understood each other in ways that didn't even make sense, but I couldn't worry about it. Time would reveal all of that too us eventually. Right now, Alexander was meeting me half way and I had to try to do the same, not just for him, but for Adam, for my friends and for myself.

Then there was Adam getting poisoned, Tommy still not showing any signs of getting better and the fact that my own life was constantly in danger. Those were all issues that were more important than me trying to understand something I probably never would. I didn't sleep last night, but I decided that I would stop hating Alexander so much for my insecurities. Hating him was just too much work and I just wanted this war, that was really all my fault, to just stop.

Now I just needed to focus on finding who poisoned Adam, keep tending to Tommy and temporarily run the country while my husband couldn't. No big deal, right? Sure…

"Drake?" My head snapped up and my eyes fell on Alexander. The normal hatred or loathing of seeing him was not there. I was shocked more than anything to see him. I was in my studio, just trying to clear my head and think. I had told Cassidy I wanted to be alone, much to his displeasure. He didn't want to leave me alone after what had happened to Adam, but I was the Pharaoh for the time being. He couldn't force me to do anything, really.

"Hi Alex," I said, turning back to stare out the wall of windows. Alexander walked up to stand next to me.

"You know that's the first time you haven't called me Alexander?" he asked. I looked over at him again, my eyes soft and showing my conflicting emotions, I had no doubt.

"I'm terrified of you, Alex. I'm so afraid that I'm going to lose Adam because he'll want you more than he'll want me… but I absolutely hate hating you. I'm not a spiteful person and I don't like the feeling. I don't like the way I've been acting lately and… I hate that disappointed look Adam gives me every time I blow you off," I told him, swallowing my pride. This was definitely not an easy thing for me to do, especially to Alexander. "I'd like us to get along. I'd… like to, maybe, have your friendship, even if I'm scared of you."

"You shouldn't be so afraid of me, Drake. You outshine me ten fold. Adam won't want me back as long as he has you, I would bet my life on it," he said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "I'd like to have your friendship as well, more than anything." I looked down at his hand and smiled at him softly.

"Did you need something?" I asked. "I told Cassidy I didn't want to be with anyone for a while…"

"Oh, I apologize. I haven't talked to Cassidy today. I just wanted to come see if you were alright after last night and to tell you that we'll be having lunch soon. Your food is being checked for poison right now… Cassidy and Hiei are supervising it, I believe," he explained.

I couldn't help but think that Cassidy was falling for Hiei. They spent a lot of time together because Cassidy was to look over Hiei's work, but Cassidy even spent his free time with Hiei. He requested that Hiei eat dinner with us and I couldn't really see how there _wasn't_ something going on between them. "Alright, then let's go eat," I said. Alexander looped his arm with mine, like he wasn't even thinking, and he pulled me out of the studio.

We were almost to the dining hall when Eric rounded a corner, bumping into me, much like the day he had said all of those horrible things to me. "Oh… My apologies," Eric mumbled, taking a step back away from me. I simply frowned at him and kept walking, but he reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me back towards him.

"Drake, wait," Eric muttered, turning me to face him. I stared up into his blue eyes for a long while. Alexander hovered behind me, staying silent but there in case I decided I needed his help, or something.

"What, Eric?" I hissed coldly. Nothing would ever erase his hurtful words from my memory. It was like he hated me and I didn't deserve his loathing. Who was he to talk to me like that, anyway?

"I just… I wanted to apologize for… all the things I said to you. I didn't really realize how much you really loved him until last night and I was… really out of line. I- I'm sorry…" he said, dropping his head in what seemed like shame. I wasn't really convinced of how sorry he was though.

"Fuck off, Eric," I told him, pulling my arm out of his grasp. "Nothing you will ever say will erase the venom you injected into my heart that day! Yes, I was taken from our home to be a pleasure servant to the Pharaoh of Egypt, but who was I to say no to him? He's the _pharaoh_ and you know what? My time with him was the best of my life! I _love_ him, Eric. I love him and you just made me out to be a worthless waste of space. You turned me into a whore, Eric!"

"Drake I…" he started, but I really didn't want to hear any of it.

"No, Eric, just stop! You told me I never should have been born. That was all I needed to hear from you. I never though I would dislike someone in my family more than my 'father' but I was wrong. You showed me that you really don't care about me at all. Well, now you can consider it mutual!" I exclaimed. "I don't really know what your problem with me is, but you need to get the fuck over yourself because I don't have answer to you and, even if I did, I have nothing to be sorry for."

"When you left, I had to do everything!" Eric cried. "I was forced into the head of the family. I wasn't ready for that position! I was only fucking sixteen, Drake! When you left, my life was horrible and you didn't even seem to care!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Eric. I'm so sorry that you were forced to go out and get job when you were sixteen, you poor thing," I said, sarcasm dripping in my tone. "But when Father died, I was forced to grow up and I was only thirteen, Eric! I was barely a teenager when I was thrown into a life of hard work and leadership. I had to grow up real fast while you stayed at home with Mama and our siblings, not doing one god damned thing to help me! Maybe if you had helped, I wouldn't have been taken away in the first place."

Eric's eyes widened and he seemed to be at a loss for words. "The world doesn't revolve around you, Eric. You don't need to be so selfish about everything, and I can't accept your apology because you don't mean it. You'll never mean it and you can never take back all of those horrible things you said to me," I said, staring him hard in the eyes until he looked away. I was his older brother, even if I was smaller than him. I was in a position of power. I was the alpha and I wanted to make sure that he knew it this time. The last time we ran into each other, I'd backed down. I would not make that mistake again.

"So that's it then?" Eric asked, his eyes locked on his feet.

"Until you can make me believe you're actually sorry because you're sorry and not because you're feeling guilty, yes, that's it," I told him and turned away, walking into a small dining hall to meet Cassidy and Hiei for lunch.


	36. I Would Only Ever Want To See Your Scars

**Chapter Thirty-Five: And If All The World Is Perfect, I Would Only Ever Want To See Your Scars**

**Cassidy's POV**

"Hiei?" I said, stepping into my bedroom with the door handle clenched in my grasp. Hiei spun on his heel, whipping around to face me with wide and startled eyes. I frowned slightly, taking another step further into the room, letting my door swing shut behind me as near-darkness enveloped me and the boy in front of me, "Aren't you supposed to be with Drake?"

Hiei folded his arms around his stomach, shifting from one foot to the other as he looked away, "He said he wanted to be alone. I— I insisted that I stay with him for his safety, but he told me he would be fine. That he could take care of himself… He gave me a kiss and bid me a good night," he trailed off, biting down on his bottom lip for a moment before glancing up at me, clear concern etched on his face.

"I know I should have stayed with him, but he's Pharaoh's husband, and he'd already gone around the corner when I realized my error. I didn't know where else to go, and another servant told me, a few days ago, that your room was in this general area so I just looked and—"

I cut him off by sweeping up close to him, cupping his face in my palms and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. Hiei moaned into my mouth, softly, his arms linking themselves over my shoulders and around my neck as he kissed me back ever so sweetly. My hands fell from his face before they flattened themselves into the small of his back, and I brought him closer to me, letting his small body come right up against my own.

I pulled away from his lips, but I kept him in my arms, snuggled up tight. I tilted my head to the side, dragging a soft kiss against his cheekbone, breathing into his skin. Hiei smiled warmly, but his eyes were shut as he leaned deeply into me, letting his fingers play with the hair on the nape of my neck. I chuckled quietly, kissing his cheeks, forehead and his lips over and over.

"I just… I didn't want to be alone tonight. After what happened to Pharaoh, I wanted to follow Drake and make sure that he, truly, was going to be alright, but I didn't want to disobey him, either. And the corridors were so dark…" I shook my head, reaching up to slide my fingertips over his lips, silencing him immediately.

"You're alright, Hiei. You're okay. You did as I told you, and someone of higher power told you to let it be. If Drake wants to be alone tonight, you certainly could not stop him, nor could you disobey him," I whispered into his ear, smiling softly at him. Hiei sighed gently, his breath ghosting against the skin of my neck and collarbones as he leaned closer to me, resting his head on my shoulder.

"Thank you," he muttered, clinging close to me. I pressed a kiss into his hair, guiding him towards my bed with his hands in my own.

I had no interest in romantic affairs for tonight. Between Adam being… poisoned so suddenly and telling Drake that he was now, temporarily, the Pharaoh of all Egypt, I was exhausted. I was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to curl up with Hiei— though he was a nice addition to my original plan of curling up, alone— in my arms and just sleep away all of the ill-happenings of this night.

I stripped myself and Hiei of our shirts and sandals, falling into the comforts of the mattress, pulling Hiei down with me. He giggled as I let out a heavy sigh and he wrapped his arms around my waist, snuggling up beside me. He tucked his head on top of my chest, letting it rest beneath my chin as my own arms looped around him, and I smiled.

There was a long stretch of silence between myself and Hiei. Sleep did not wish to grace me with her sweet presence, and I could only assume that she wasn't giving any favors to Hiei, either. After a moment, though, Hiei sighed heavily, shifting in my arms to cuddle closer with me, his breath tickling my bare chest.

It was almost hard to believe that Hiei had been here for several weeks, already. Between all of the madness of the wedding that Drake and Adam had shared to Tommy coming down with fever, Drake's family getting settled, Hiei being brought in and put to work to pay off his debt… Hiei and I getting closer as Alex came back and Adam got poisoned… It was hard to digest that so much time had passed already.

A flash of a thought crossed my mind, reminding me of something that I'd neglected to inform Hiei of. I bit down on my bottom lip, readjusting my arms some to link them securely around Hiei's lower back, folding my hands against the backs of his hips, "Hiei?" I inquired quietly, unsure if he, truly, was still awake or if he was just restless in his sleep. Part of me prayed he was sleeping…

"Yes?" He replied just as gently, staying still in my arms. No such luck for me. My heart skipped a beat, lodging itself in just a spot in my throat that I couldn't quite swallow it away, but it wasn't, exactly, keeping me from speaking, either. I inhaled slowly, burying my nose into his hair some.

"You've done enough work to pay your dues… If you wish, you are free to leave the palace whenever you like. You can go back to your old life, if you want," I explained, my heart skipping beats and clenching in my chest. In the time that Hiei had been here, he made me feel alive. He made me forget the pain of betrayal and disgust that Brad had left behind in my heart with his crimes and his death. And in that sudden feeling, I'd found him more than just fascinating.

I wanted him. I wanted him for my own and I wanted him to want me all the same. Was it wrong of me to feel so when we'd shared such intimate kisses and passionate moments as that in the library? Was it wrong of me to want to know more about him? To explore his memories with him while I explored his body?

And perhaps it was selfish of me to keep the information of his debt being paid off from him. After all, he'd been determined to get his work done so he could leave when he was first brought here. And while I did believe that he felt something for me, Hiei… Hiei was the kind of individual who was cunning and witty, and no doubt willing to do what was necessary to get his way in means of survival. I did not wish to believe him to be another Brad.

Selfish, perhaps so. But I didn't want to let go of him… And his words made my heart stop in my chest.

"… I— I don't want to leave. I like it here," he whispered. I had to fight myself to hold back the breath of relief that I wanted so desperately to release. I had to be logical. I had to be the Cassidy who was an adviser to the Pharaoh. Not the Cassidy that was so quickly falling for this boy…

"Don't you have family, Hiei? I'm sure they miss you—" I began to say, but Hiei's clipped and venomous words made me stop short, my blood turning cold and thick.

"I don't have any family," I glanced down at him, frowning softly. His eyes were squeezed shut with his face just inches from being buried into my chest. His jaw was clenched and he looked pained. I let out my sorrowful breath, tilting my head down to kiss his forehead.

"I am sorry—"

"Don't be," he snapped.

"…Why?" It was probably not my place to ask, but I wanted to know. I wanted to understand him. Hiei was like a puzzle to me; I would start to figure him out, piece by piece, and then he would become more complex. Like a labyrinth, really. I'd figure out the outer walls only to find doors and corridors and sealed off passageways. I didn't want to push or pry anything from him if he wasn't ready for it, however…

"My mother died when I was young, and my father was a cruel man. That is why," Hiei explained vaguely, the tone of his voice saying more than his words. He did not wish to indulge further tonight. I bit down on my bottom lip, unsure if I, really, wanted to know the meaning of his father "being cruel".

"I am sorry about your mother, then," I whispered to him. Hiei shrugged in my arms, but he didn't say another word on the matter. I let out a tired, quiet breath, bending down to kiss his forehead again. He didn't budge, nor did he make a sound. Poor thing…

"Goodnight," I muttered, letting my eyes slip shut before falling deep into my slumber.

When I awoke, Hiei was still pressed tight to my chest, his knee nestled between my thighs and his mouth ghosting breaths against my neck. But he was still in his sleep and I smiled softly to myself. I blinked, taking note to the light streaming across my room. It was well into the morning, and I doubted that Drake or Alexander would be awake by now, but I could not make any assumptions.

I yawned softly, turning my head away for a moment before shifting back, looking down at the sleeping Hiei. He looked so at peace and content. There was even, it seemed, a touch of a smile on his lips. He must've been having a good dream. I smiled softly, tilting my head down to kiss his hairline above his ear. Hiei shifted slightly, but otherwise did not wake up.

Despite the desire to stay in his arms I, gently, pulled myself away from Hiei and the comfort of the warm bed, shuffling across the floor as quietly as I could to my wardrobe. I knew I was going to need a bath at some point today but I didn't, really, feel like going right now. There was something I needed to get before doing anything else first.

I pulled open the doors quietly, reaching in for a white robe that had red, blue and gold trims and embroidery. I slipped it on over my shoulders, letting it hang open to expose my chest and my hips, ending at my thighs. My trousers still clung to my legs, ending just below my knees.

I shut the doors, turning on my heel to see Hiei sound asleep with his arms curled around the pillow that my head had been resting on. How he managed to grab it and curl himself around it without making too much noise was beyond me, but I didn't question. Instead, I just smiled and crossed the room towards the door, slipping out silently and shutting the door.

I made my way down the hall, my stride light and brisk, my destination a good eighth of a mile to the west. The palace was a something like a mile East to West and half a mile South to North. The walk was short and easy, and I'd anticipated it to be undisturbed, but that wasn't the case. I turned a corner, seeing Drake making his way in my direction. I hesitated in my step, my eyes searching his face for a sign of trouble or any reason to be worried.

"Good morning, Drake," I said to him, bowing my head in respect. From the direction he was walking, I could only assume that he'd stayed with Adam last night while the King slept off the poison. He looked tired, but.. There, also, seemed to be a sense of peace about him.

"Good morning, Cassidy," he replied to me, his voice soft. He was dressed in a white vest and a pair of white trousers, a few necklaces hanging around his neck as well as the ring that Adam had given him on their wedding day on his hand. I don't think I've ever seen him without it.

"Where are you off to?" I asked him, stopping in the hall completely as Drake came up to my side. He stared off down the way for a moment before letting out a breath, speaking to me without looking at me.

"My studio. I need some time alone. Please, if anyone asks for me, just tell them I wish to be by myself?" He requested gently, turning his head towards me when he spoke his last few words. I frowned softly, licking my lips a little.

"Drake… Are you sure that's wise? After what happened to Adam—" I began to tell him, but Drake just lifted his hand, silencing me.

"Please, Cassidy. I'll be fine. I just need to clear my head for a little while," he said. I sighed softly, bowing my head again.

"As you wish. Shall I send for you when lunch is ready?" I suggested, and Drake only nodded once before turning away, continuing his trek across the palace towards his studio. I watched him go, disappearing around the corner before sighing quietly to myself, pivoting on my heel to make my way down towards my own studio, which was just around the corner.

I reached the door, inhaling slowly before pushing it open and stepping inside. The walls were curved, creating a sort of oval shape. Not as extreme as Drake's studio, but very similar in style. A large bay window curved with the wall, overlooking the southeast half of the city beyond. On the northern wall was a desk that stretched from end to end, forming to make a sort of slight semi-circle. Mannequins, fabrics, sketchbooks, pencils, pens and various complete and incomplete pieces of clothing were hanging off racks or counters.

I hadn't been here in a few months because of all the planning and then the matters of Tommy and Adam falling ill. It was strange coming back when I'd been away for so long, but it was also comforting because nothing had been moved. Nothing had been changed. Everything was where I left it and everything was just.. right.

Inhaling slowly, I smiled to myself, letting my door slip shut as I crossed to my desk. I glanced down at an open sketchbook, seeing a design open and unfinished on the page. It looked like something Drake would wear, but the longer I stared at it, the more I found it fitting for Hiei. It wasn't too revealing— a simple and neat shirt. Vee-neck with billowy sleeves that would end around the elbows. Trimmed with gold and sapphire stitching.

Smiling to myself, I reached down for the sketchbook, flipping it closed before gathering it and a few pencils with an eraser in my hands, turning out of my studio and back down the hall. I had never intended to stay long. I'd just wanted to go back, breathe in familiar, comforting air, and grab my sketchbook.

Was I an artist in the caliber that Drake was? No. Drake was the kind of artist that thought of things on the spot and required little to no effort to make it come alive. All of my sketches and finished products would take days, weeks, even months to start and finish to the level that I deemed perfect or satisfactory. Drake could think of something on the spot and have it finished between a few hours and a day or two at most. Unless it was a sculpture. That usually only took him a week at most.

Slipping down the hall, I made my way back to my room. There was a bit of a skip in my step and when I passed the occasional servant, I gave them a nod and a smile. Some looked confused at my behavior, others just seemed pleased and smiled back at me. I turned a corner, walking back down towards my door before quietly pushing it open and stepping inside.

Hiei shifted on the bed, stretching with his arms above his head before his eyes fluttered open and he looked in my direction. My heart skipped a beat in my chest as I crossed the room towards him, bending down to kiss him gently. Hiei moaned softly, reaching up to palm my face as he kissed me back. I smiled against his lips before pulling away, earning a soft whine.

"Good morning to you," I whispered, and Hiei blushed softly.

"Morning," he replied before I kissed him again.

"Would you like to bathe before today's duties?" Hiei glanced up at me, frowning for a moment.

"Duties? I thought you said, last night, that I was done…?" He inquired and I smiled, pecking his lips again before pulling away.

"With chores, yes. However, I wanted to overlook the processing of our lunch meals today to make sure that nothing… Funny is slipped into them," I explained, setting my sketchbook and supplies aside on a small side table near the bed. Hiei stretched again before sitting up slowly, his hair in a tangled mess around his face. I chuckled softly, shaking my head, "And.. I was wondering if you would help me with something after lunch?"

Hiei turned his head, facing me for a moment, "Of course. With what?" I smiled at him, grabbing my book again before flipping open to a page of a rough sketch of a pair of trousers with deep green lining and silver embroidery against charcoal fabric.

Hiei's eyes went wide as he stared at the sketch for a long moment, "Oh, wow… Cassidy, this is beautiful," He said with a wide smile, looking up at me. I blushed faintly, folding the book closed again.

"I make clothing designs in my free time, and when I actually have the materials and the patience, I make the designs. I've found it to be a good stress reliever, to be honest. That and music," I said, setting the sketchbook aside. Hiei raised an eyebrow at me, slipping off the bed as I crossed to my wardrobe again.

"Music?" He suggested and I smiled, pulling the doors open and reaching in for fresh clothes. I pulled two pairs of trousers, two loose-fitting shirts and a vest for Hiei— I was planning on wearing my robe with my outfit. I turned back to him, holding out the trousers, shirt and vest for him.

"Yes, music. I play guitar and piano, sing on occasion. Nothing like Pharaoh, though," Hiei's eyes widened some.

"Pharaoh sings?" He questioned and I laughed as he took the clothes.

"Yes. Now come bath with me,"

An hour later, Hiei and I were cleaned and dressed, making our way down the halls towards the kitchens. We were walking close enough that our hands would brush and link together when we were alone, but far enough apart that if someone was nearby, we would let go and be inconspicuous. Hiei and I didn't _really_ have a solidified.. "relationship", I guess one could say. I wanted it, dearly. But we weren't quite there yet.

Turning a corner, I led Hiei through the dining hall and towards the back door to the kitchens. I could smell savory meats and vegetables cooking from beyond the door. I smiled softly to myself, pushing open the door to let Hiei step inside after me.

A few of the cook boys glanced up at us but didn't say a word as they slaved over the meals they were preparing. There was a guard stationed at the door down the way from us, no doubt supervising who was coming in and out. Boys hurried back and forth, adding potatoes, adding carrots and painting meats with sauces.

I glanced across the way, seeing a man in the hold of two guards. His face was pale with worry but he was, clearly, starving. A small plate was brought to him with items from each part of the courses, no doubt for checking for any potential poisons. I could see in his eyes that he was reluctant to eat it because he didn't want to die. But the need for food was stronger than life, it seemed, and he quickly opened his mouth for the first bite.

Watching him eat made my stomach clench in worry. What if it was poisoned? Did that mean that we were to watch another individual fall ill due to the effects? I inhaled slowly, unconsciously reaching for Hiei's hand as the man swallowed, taking another bite of food. Then another, and another, and another until the plate was clean and he was still standing. He stood for five minutes before taking a drink of water. He was fine. I let out a breath and felt Hiei relax beside me. Smiling at him, I motioned for Hiei to follow me back to the dining hall.

"Is it really so simple, then?" Hiei asked once the door slipped shut and we were alone in the privacy of the room. I turned to him, raising an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" He inhaled slowly.

"Do they just bring a convict and put his life on the line for royalty?" I sighed softly, running fingers through my hair.

"Unfortunately, yes. But think about it, Hiei; what would you risk? The life of a convicted man who's, probably, going to be behind bars for a good portion of his life anyway, or the life of someone who rules our country? You saw it last night. Adam could've died if he'd consumed anymore of the poison. He _almost_ died…" I whispered to him, sitting down in one of the chairs by the table. Hiei remained standing, gnawing on his bottom lip.

"I guess.. I just…" He trailed off, looking away. I frowned some, reaching forward to take his hand in mine, bringing his attention back to me. Hiei's eyes looked troubled and I found myself holding a breath.

"You what?" I pried, gently.

"If Drake hadn't, effectively, saved my life, that could've been me…" He whispered quietly, his eyes burned with a touch of fear. The breath expelled itself from my chest and I shook my head, bringing him closer as I palmed his face, pulling him down into a kiss. Hiei whined, shifting closer to me, sliding onto my lap.

We kissed passionately for several moments, tongues sliding back and forth, lips popping and clicking with wet heat. Hiei and I were moaning as his hands dragged through my hair, tugging on it. I growled into his mouth, clenching his hips tightly in my hands before whispering to him, "You won't have to worry about that now. Drake saved you, and I have you.. I'll keep you safe," I promised kissing him again.

Hiei pressed himself close to me, his hands fisting themselves in my hair as he ground his hips against mine. I gasped, whining softly, as my palms slid up his back and down his sides, feeling him through his clothes and wanting to just strip him and touch him like I had in the library. I wanted to throw him down onto the ground and ravage him so passionately that—

"Cassidy?" A voice made my heart stop and I froze against Hiei for a moment before pulling away, glancing to the front of the room to see Drake and Alexander standing and staring at us with wide eyes.

Fuck.


	37. I'd Do Anything That You Wanted Me To

**Chapter Thirty-Six: Just to See You Smile, I'd Do Anything That You Wanted Me Too  
Alexander's POV**

Watching Drake fight with and effectively tell his younger brother off was strange, but walking into the dining hall so see Hiei straddling Cassidy, their lips meshed in a hot and passionate kiss, was just downright weird. I figured Cassidy did like Hiei, and more than just a little considering they were always together, even when they didn't need to be, but this?

This was just over the top.

I never thought Cassidy, the Pharaoh's most trusted adviser, would be getting so intimate with a servant boy in public. Then again, Adam himself had done that with Tommy and Drake, I supposed. It was still a shock to see it in our dining hall, though.

Cassidy and Hiei looked just as shocked to see Drake and I, standing side by side as if we were brothers. Hiei quietly got off of Cassidy, his face a nice shade of dark red. Needless to say, lunch was extremely awkward. Not too much besides official Pharaoh matters between Cassidy and Drake were said. They acted as if nothing had happened between Cassidy and Hiei, though, clearly, there was a lot of somethings going on.

"Do I really need to go do that?" Drake asked, frowning a little. They were talking about going out to visit the new pyramids that were being constructed. Drake didn't seem to keen on going out there with a couple of guards but, as Pharaoh, he didn't really have much of a choice. There were some things that just needed to be taken care of when you were in a position of power. This was one of them.

"Yes, Drake. I know it doesn't sound fun or appealing. I know you'd much rather be here with Tommy and Adam, but you have to go. You'll be back before nightfall," Cassidy said, shooting Drake a sympathetic look. "I promise, it'll be over before you know it."

"I just thought that, if I were to go to the pyramids, I would be visiting them with Adam and it would mean something," Drake mumbled, pushing the food around on his plate. He looked a little reluctant to eat anything, but I was pretty sure that Drake wasn't worried about it being poisoned. He wanted Adam to be with him. He didn't want to be ruling Egypt. He wanted his best friend to wake up from his coma. He was probably as confused as I was about what had happened between us last night. "Not just… telling people how to build the stupid things. I don't know anything about architecture. I'll probably just fuck something up… I'm the person who would break the nose off of a sphinx."

"With the way you sculpt?" Hiei piped in. "Fat chance. Those buildings are, basically, giant sculptures with hidden chambers inside…" He must have realized he'd spoken out of turn because he bowed his head and looked away.

Drake chuckled, but it was forced and half assed. I felt so bad for the poor kid. "It's alright, Hiei. Don't be afraid to talk to me. As far as I'm concerned, we're equals," Drake said to him, flashing him a beautiful smile. I was stunned that Drake could even smile at all when so many things were going wrong, but to smile so beautifully? That was all the more shocking.

Hiei smiled shyly. "Thank you," he said. Cassidy smiled a little to himself and so did I. Honestly, Drake might have had power, but he didn't let it go to his head, which was fantastic. He wasn't power hungry, thank god.

Lunch ended shortly after that. Drake left the palace, with two guards, to go oversee the pyramid's progression. Cassidy and Hiei disappeared as soon as Drake was gone and, as much as I hated to assume, I felt like them were going to continue where they left off. They had really seemed to be into it before Drake and I walked in on them.

Sighing, I began to wander the palace, exploring what had changed in the last decade and what was the same. The palace hadn't changed much except for the fact that Drake had definitely turned it into his home. Murals, paintings and sculptures done by Drake filled the halls. Honestly, it made the place more homey and gorgeous.

But I quickly ran out of places to explore. I ventured through the gardens and into the library, out towards Cassidy's room and even into the market for a little while. Nothing interested me. I ended up stopping right in front of Tommy's bedroom door. I knew it wasn't really my place to be with him, but I couldn't be with Adam when he was sick because that would be stepping over all sorts of boundaries. Why not keep a young man company when he was so sick? A sickness that I, by the way, was extremely familiar with.

I put my hands flat on the door, almost feeling the sickness seeping through the wood and into my hand. It sent chills shooting up my spine, but I didn't turn and run away, like part of me was telling me too. Instead, I dropped one hand to the door knob and turned it, pushing the door open with the slight push of my hip and hand.

Laying on the bed was a young (but older than Drake) boy with pale skin and dulling blond hair that fanned out around his face. Even in sickness, the boy was beautiful. I could see why Adam choice him to bed with and why Drake found it so hard to keep himself from loving Tommy when he was supposed to be Adam's lover.

Adam had told me all about Drake's relationship with Tommy. Honestly, I didn't see any fault in it. Drake was forced to be intimate with Tommy in ways that only lovers should be. Drake was young, innocent and new to the world of sex and passion. He couldn't keep pleasure and love separate. It didn't make sense in his young brain. If you had sex with someone, you loved that person as well. If only the world were really that simple…

Adam said that he didn't blame Drake for his attraction to Tommy. Looking at the blond, even while in a coma, it was hard not to fall for him. He was gorgeous and I was sure, by Adam's stories, that he was a fun person to be around. He had also been Drake's support system when he was first taken away from his family and, without Tommy, Drake might not have been able to make it through such a transition. Adam had even told me how jealous he was of Tommy and Drake's relationship. He knew Drake loved him with all his heart, but he knew that Drake would always love Tommy as well.

"Hey Tommy…" I said softly, sitting down on his bed. I knew he probably couldn't hear me but there was no harm in talking to him, just in case, right? "I know this probably isn't my place, but I imagine that you are awfully lonely in here. It's been really hectic around this place. A lot of things have been falling apart and it's been hard for anyone to come see you." I reached out, carefully taking Tommy's hand into my own. "Drake wishes he could be here with you. He wants to be but he's found himself in a very… tight position right now."

I stopped for a moment, laughing softly to myself. "I can't believe I'm sitting here, talking to you like I actually know you. Like you can even hear me at all…" I mumbled, putting a hand on Tommy's forehead. It was too warm and it made me think back to when Adam would put his hand against my forehead to check my temperature. "But please do me a favor, Tommy. I know we don't know each other yet but… It would mean the world to me if you woke up. I dearly wish to see Drake smile and you can make that happen. All you have to do is wake up…"

Sure, I kind of sounded a little pathetic, but everything I was saying was the truth. If Tommy could just wake up, I could see the smile on our young king's face, the one that everyone melted for. I had yet to witness it and that upset me dearly. I sighed, petting Tommy's hair gently. I wanted to lean over and press my lips to his warm forehead, but I felt that was stepping too far out of line. Tommy wasn't mine in any way. We didn't even know each other yet…

I sighed again, resting my palm against Tommy's forehead again and, too my utter amazement, his skin didn't feel as blistering as it had. The longer I kept my hand against his forehead, the cooler his skin became. At first, this alarmed me. I was almost afraid that he might be dying, but he couldn't have been, because his breathing was still deep and even. When you started dying, your breathing was not that calm. I really hoped that was needless to say, but you never knew these days…

After a few minutes, Tommy's skin was only slightly warm and the tinniest shade of pink was beginning to form on his pale cheeks. My eyes widened as he groaned and I quickly pulled my hand away from him, not wanting to seem extremely creepy when he first woke up, considering I was, technically, a stranger in his bed. That just… would be so awkward and terrible and not fun or appealing in any way.

He groaned again, turning his head to the side. Half of his hair fell over his face, hiding it from me for the most part, but I could still see his eyes opening up. My jaw fell open and, for half a second, I thought about running out of the room before he could see me. I didn't want things to get super awkward. Drake was probably already going to be upset that Tommy woke up when he was with me and not him…

Tommy just stared at the wall for a few moments before he turned his head, scanning the room for people or any form of life at all. His eyes were really only half open until he saw me, sitting on the side of his bed. His eyes widened but he didn't sit up, probably realizing that he was too weak for such movements.

"Drake?" he breathed out, hoarsely. "Oh my fucking Ra… How long have I been out? I mean you… You got so _old_." Ouch, feelings there, Tommy… I was only Adam's age. I wasn't that old…

I chuckled just slightly, shaking my head. "Tommy, I'm not Drake," I told him, although I couldn't deny that I was a little flattered for someone so close to Drake to confuse us. He was so beautiful. I couldn't bring myself to believe that I ever looked like him, even when I was his age. "I'm Alex and… I'm also… not old…" I mumbled, my lip curling out ever so slightly into a pout.

Tommy stared at me for a long while in silence. It was a little uncomfortable, but I supposed the whole situation was uncomfortable. "Alex?" he whispered, blinking in what I could only assume to be confusion. Alexander, Adam's first true lover, was supposed to be dead for years now. "Alex who?" he asked.

"Alex, Alexander…" I muttered to him. "Adam's first lover…"

"Oh Ra… I thought… I thought you were supposed to be dead? That you died ten years ago with fe-fever…" he whispered again, staring at me with the biggest, richest chocolate eyes I'd ever seen.

"Well that is a… very long story that is meant for another day. I… I shouldn't be in here. I should go get Drake and bring him here, he'll want to see you…" I muttered, standing from the bed. Weak fingers wrapped around my wrist. I could have easily slipped out of Tommy's grip but he kept me rooted there anyway.

"Wait, what's going on?" he asked tiredly. "Please tell me. Is… Drake alright?"

"He's… going through some rough times right now but that's not really my place to-" He cut my off, his eyes going wide and his elbows beginning to push him up into a sitting position. I'm sure that required a lot of effort on his part, considering he'd been in a coma for weeks.

"Did something bad happen while I was asleep?" he asked. "Did Adam leave Drake?" he growled, suddenly looking more like Drake's protective older brother than anything else. I put my hands on his shoulders, gently pushing him back into the mattress of his bed. He wasn't strong enough to just go run off through the palace to find Drake. I didn't even know if he was back from the pyramids yet. He may not be back for a while, or he might have been home already. Quite frankly, I had absolutely no clue and I could just let Tommy go searching for him in his condition.

"No, no… Nothing like that, Tommy. Adam didn't leave Drake. They're still very much together and in love," I told him. I hated that everyone assumed Adam was just going to throw Drake away now that I was back in his life. I didn't ever want that and I would never even considering letting Adam do that to his husband. "Adam's recently fallen ill and Drake has temporarily been made Pharaoh." I probably shouldn't have been telling him this, but I had a bit of a tendency to push boundaries and break a few rules. Nothing too drastic but…

His eyes went even wider, if that was possible. They were so round, they were actually starting to freak me out a little bit. "Oh Ra, did he fall ill with fever too?" he whimpered, staring up at me.

"No, he was… Well, he was poisoned at dinner a few nights ago," I told him, keeping my hands on his shoulders.

He gasped, trying to jerk up again to, potentially, spring off the bed and make a run for wherever Drake might be. "Let me up, please! I need to be with Drake! He needs me right now!" I cried, but his voice was so hoarse it actually hurt to listen to him.

"Tommy, Tommy, please try to relax. You've been in a coma from fever for weeks now and you really need to relax. You can't over excerpt yourself. I will go fetch Drake and bring him here so he can see you and you can be with him, alright?" I whispered, cupping his face gently in my hands. "I will go and find him for you, alright? Just try to relax."

Tommy sighed but he nodded, probably knowing, deep down, that I was right. His condition wouldn't allow for him to run around then palace like he normally did. It would be best for everyone if I went to find Drake so I could take him back to Tommy. "Alright, fine. If I wasn't so tired, I wouldn't be laying here though…" he mumbled, sounding extremely displeased with the fact that he couldn't go to be with Drake himself.

"I know, Tommy, I'm sorry…" I told him, rubbing his cheek gently. "I will bring Drake to you just as soon as I can find him, alright?" He sighed, nodding again, but his eyes weren't looking at me anymore.

I sighed and began to push myself out of the bed. But when I turned to the door, it was open, and Drake was standing in the door way, wide eyes. "What's… going on?" he mumbled, his blue eyes swimming with pain and anguish. Oh Ra… Drake…

"I was just… He just… And I was just…" I rambled, but it made no sense. I was sure Drake didn't care for my explanations anyway. He was shocked to see Tommy awake and even more so to see me with his best friend and kind-of lover. He rushed over to the bed and put a hand on the blond's cheek, cupping it delicately.

"Tommy…" he whispered, his blue eyes filling with tears that looked just as blue as his irises. I bit my lip and quietly made my way out of the room, leaving them to their moment. I did not wish to intrude anymore than I already had.


	38. Outstretched Arms, Open Hearts

**Chapter Thirty-Seven: Outstretched Arms, Open Hearts**

**Drake's POV**

After several long, arduous hours of looking over blueprints and sketches of pyramids and their inner workings, I finally found myself practically crawling back into the palace with the guards at my heels. And while I did not exactly favor being out by the pyramids by myself— I'd always imagined going to visit and tour them with Adam— I did not find them to be as unbearable as I'd originally imagined.

Hiei had been right. The pyramids, themselves, were really just sculptures. Massive ones, at that. Sculptures with elaborate rooms and passageways. I found it to be intriguing and, even, a little relaxing to be back in a familiar element, talking with the architect about what to change in this pyramid, what to add in that pyramid. It was difficult work, and each took massive amounts of time to go over, but it was okay.

The architect and I must've gone through fifteen or twenty in progress or planned pyramids before calling it a night. The sun was dipping below the western horizon and I knew that I would either be just arriving for dinner or I would be missing it by now. But part of me simply didn't care. I wasn't hungry despite all of the work I'd done today, and I knew that I should've been, but… I just wasn't.

It had to have been the stress of Adam being poisoned and Tommy still being sick. On top of all of that was the bond that I shared with Alex. The night that he held me against his chest, holding me in his arms and just letting me cry.. Something happened between us that I couldn't explain and, to be honest, it scared me. I wasn't sure _why_ it scared me, though. It just did.

I waved the guards off, letting them go about their own business as I crossed through the throne room, taking a glance over at the massive seat that Adam usually sat in when he dealt with Pharaoh-y affairs. I sighed softly, my heart aching in my chest as I turned away from it, walking through the massive doors at the end and down the hallway.

I hadn't been able to see Adam at all today and I could only hope that he was doing better than before. I never imagined just how lonely and painful it was without him being around. Don't get me wrong, that time, three years ago, when I ran away, was perhaps the most painful experience of my life, but this was different. I knew Adam was healthy then. I knew he was, somewhat, okay. With this, with him being poisoned, I wasn't so sure. I could only go by what the doctor told us, and I wasn't sure how long I could believe the word of a medical man.

I was, by no means, calling the doctor out for being a charlatan, never. I knew that he was a well practiced individual. But Adam was my husband. My lover. I wasn't sure that I would be able to handle him telling me the same things he told me about Tommy; stable but not showing any signs of recovery…

Tommy… I felt a crack in my heart form as tears sprung in my eyes. He'd been in a coma for so long… Sometimes I forgot he was still even here at all. I hated myself for thinking such a thing about my best friend and kind-of-lover… I hated it. But it was true. Tommy had been asleep for almost a month or so, now. As much as I didn't want to really believe it, I'd begun to forget him…

'_Tommy… I'm so sorry…_' I thought to myself, changing in my direction. I was going to go spend some time with Adam or, maybe, go and find myself a bite to eat from the kitchen. But in thinking about Tommy, I realized just how long I'd been away from him. I hadn't gone to see him since before Alex showed up. I hadn't had the time. I'd forgotten…

I bit down on my bottom lip, trying to force the tears back as I rounded the corner, walking quickly down the hallway towards Tommy's room. I was a horrible friend for abandoning him to his sickness. To suffer alone while I became Pharaoh of Egypt. But it wasn't like I wanted this. I didn't want any of this. I wanted Tommy and Adam to be better, and for Adam to resume his position as Pharaoh. I wanted things to be normal again. I wanted things to be better…

Sighing heavily, I reached Tommy's door, forcing the tears back as best I could, though, knowing it was futile. I knew.. I knew that I was going to go through the door, find no change in him and cry over him, begging him to come back to me. Begging him to wake up because I simply couldn't take it anymore. The two people I loved and cherished most in my life here were at risk of death…

Pushing open the door, I was greeted with a sight much different than what I'd ever imagined.

First, Alex was in the room, sitting down on the edge of Tommy's bed, his hands gently cupping Tommy's face, his thumbs caressing the blond's cheeks. I frowned, staring hard at him. Why was Alex here? Alex might've been Adam's old lover, but he was, in no way, connected to Tommy, so _why was he here_? Why was he _touching_ Tommy?

Second, Tommy's eyes were wide open, staring up at Alex. He was awake. His face wasn't so pale anymore; there was color in his cheeks and life in his eyes. Life that I hadn't seen in so long. Life that was not focused in my direction, but in the direction of Alex, who was _touching _Tommy when _I _should have been…

Alex stood from the bed, letting go of Tommy before turning my direction. His eyes went wide and he froze on the spot. I was aware of my mouth moving, but I wasn't really paying attention to what I'd said, nor was I paying attention to Alex trying to explain to me what had happened. My focus had drifted to the blond, who's wide and beautiful chocolate eyes were locked with mine.

"Tommy…" I whispered, walking over to him. I reached out, cupping his face into my hand, caressing his cheek delicately with my fingers. The tears that I'd tried so hard to hold back were spilling freely as I sat down on the edge of his bed. I heard Alex shuffle quietly from the room, closing the door behind him as he left, leaving me and Tommy in silence together.

Tommy's eyes lifted, staying with mine the entire time. My hand was trembling against his cheek and I whimpered softly, staring at him. His eyes were just the same as the last time that I'd seen them. Bright. Beautiful. Compassionate and loving and all Tommy… Tommy…

"Drake," he said, leaning into my touch before bringing a hand up to cover my own. I whimpered, tears falling from my eyes down onto his blanketed chest, staining the fabric lightly. He whined quietly, brushing the tears from my face with the pads of his fingertips. "Baby, no… Don't cry, please… Please, don't," he whispered. I inhaled slowly, swallowing the lump of relief from my throat as I blinked once.

"I can't believe you're awake… Tommy, I… I was so scared," I told him, tears falling rapidly down my cheeks like miniature waterfalls. Crying was so not a beautiful thing, but I couldn't find it within myself to care that I was crying. Tommy shook his head, smiling softly at me as he brushed more tears away.

"I told you.. I told you I would be fine, love. That I was going to be okay. I'm here, I'm fine," Tommy said gently, smiling at me. Tears were filling his own eyes, threatening to spill and I shook my head, taking one of his hands in mine, lacing our fingers together tightly. My heart was clenching and unclenching in my chest and I was sure that it was going to overwork itself and fail.

"You didn't wake… You wouldn't respond and.. I.. I stopped believing you.. you would…" I bit down on my lip, trembling lightly as I squeezed Tommy's hand as tightly as I could. I really, really didn't want to cry in front of him but, at this rate, it looked like it was all together possible. I was shaking with the beginnings of sobs and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

"Drake, no.. I'm _fine_. I'm _alive_. I'm here, baby," he repeated, squeezing my hand back as much as he could with the strength that he had. I inhaled through my nose, swallowing back sobs.

"Everything's just been falling apart, Tommy… Adam's sick, Alex is alive, I'm temporarily Pharaoh and I have no idea what the fuck I'm doing.. Everything about my life has been a lie and… I just.. I needed you," I whispered, my voice quivering lightly. Tommy slowly pulled himself up, wrapping his arms around me tightly. I cried out, wrapping my arms around his neck as I buried my face into his shoulder, weeping.

"I'm here now, and you're going to be okay. We can make it through this, Drake. Adam's going to be fine," he whispered in my ear. I just shook my head, tears flowing down my face and into his shirt.

"I thought you would never wake up, Tommy… For so long, I.. I thought I'd never see you.." I mumbled into his shoulder, and Tommy's arms tightened around me further, his hands rubbing my back soothingly. He tried to calm me as best as he could, but his words and his touches only made me cry harder.

How many nights and days had I begged the Gods to give Tommy back to me? How many painful moments had I been through where I wanted nothing more than to crawl into Tommy's bed and feel his arms wrap themselves around me as they were now? To feel him press kisses to my skin and my hair and tell me that he loved me and that everything was going to be okay?

"You don't have to worry about that anymore, Drake," Tommy muttered into my ear, pulling me close. I was shaking like a leaf in his arms. _His _arms. Arms that I missed and cherished and loved as dearly as I loved Adam's arms.

"I— I wanted to be the one to be with you when you woke," I admitted, feeling a pang of jealousy for Alex. He witnessed the waking of my best friend. That was something I'd wanted so dearly and now I would never have. I wanted Tommy to see me, first, when he opened his eyes. I wanted to be the one he first saw…

"Drake," Tommy said, pulling away from me enough to brush the tears from my eyes before he leaned forward, catching my lips in a gentle kiss. I moaned softly, tangling my fingers into Tommy's overgrown and silky hair, pulling as his tongue slid between my teeth. He kissed me hard and he kissed me long, so long that when we pulled away we were panting for air before kissing again.

I'd missed this. I'd missed the feel of Tommy's lips on mine, his arms around me, his body against mine. I'd missed him more than I'd ever imagined. And to have him back was like having a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders. There was still the weight of Alex and Adam, but my load was lighter and I was feeling so much better.

Mine and Tommy's tongues battled and meshed for several moments, slipping back and forth between our mouths. Needless to say, our kissing left me excited, something I hadn't felt in an incredibly long time. Part of me felt shameful that I was kissing and wanting my best friend while my husband lay healing from a recent poisoning in another room of the palace, but… Adam knew of mine and Tommy's relationship, and he was okay with it… As long as Tommy and I didn't fuck behind his back, he was okay with it…

"I've missed you," I whispered into his lips. Tommy's hands cupped my face tenderly, our lips brushing and dragging across one another as we spoke. One of my hands was tangled in his hair, the other curled around the back of his neck.

"I've missed you, too, Drake. So much," he said, moaning quietly as we kissed again. His fingers were barely trailing against my skin, but my nerves were going haywire and it felt like ice against my burning flesh.

"Tommy…" I moaned, kissing him gently, "Baby.. Come bathe with me.. Like old times?" I pleaded. Tommy groaned, kissing me hard for a moment. I groaned, sucking roughly on his tongue, which forced the blond to arch into me, clenching me tightly before pulling away, breathing hard.

"Of course, love," my heart skipped a beat and I moaned, "Of course,"


	39. You Won't Be Scared and Lonely

**Chapter Thirty-Eight: You Won't Be Scared and Lonely, You Won't Be!  
Tommy's POV**

Getting out of the bed and into the bathroom was not an easy task. Thank Ra Drake was there to support me as we walked, because if he wasn't, I never would have gotten out of the room. I hadn't been up an walking around for a month now and my muscles weren't used to the strain of holding up my body.

Drake kept mumbling about how much he missed me and how things had been falling apart without me here. To be honest, he was repeating himself a lot and I stopped paying attention to exactly what he was saying. Instead, I found myself hypnotized by his beautiful red hair swishing around his face as he moved. The A-line cropped cut was even more gorgeous than it had been in that dream I had of Drake, right before his wedding.

It might have been the red that made it that much more sexy. My breath was lodged in my throat and I wasn't really able to breathe right. Watching him moving was just breathtaking. Even more so than it had been before I slipped into a coma. Drake was just too beautiful and now he was that much more sexy. I found myself wondering if Drake truly was a God. I was beginning to believe that it was all together possible. What human was so beautiful and elegant, even in times of extreme hardship?

"I… really missed taking baths with you," Drake whispered as he pulled away from me. I was sitting on the edge of the filling tub and Drake was a few feet away from me, his back turned to me. He was stripping out of the clothing that simply accented his natural beauty. I was gnawing on my bottom lip, trying not to stare at his naked ass, but it was a hard feat, especially when he bent over to split his shorts completely off. Nice flashbacks from previous dreams involving Drake and myself were painting themselves in front of my eyes and I was beginning to ache hard between the legs.

Drake glanced over his shoulder at me, a light blush flaming across his kind of pale cheeks. "Tommy, stop staring at me and strip," he said, turning to face me. I bit my lip hard, staring at his full erection.

"I'm sorry, love," I told him, blushing softly. I'd been so caught up in watching Drake strip, I'd forgotten to strip myself. He walked back over to me and I grabbed his wrists, pulling him down into a rough, dirty kiss. He gasped into my mouth, moaning loudly, but I broke the kiss before we got too into it. "This red," I started, moving my hand up into his hair. "Is beautiful on you. I think it fits better than the chocolate ever did."

A nice, bright blush rushed across his face. "Why does everyone keep saying that to me?" he whispered, pawing at the light- and really fucking gross- shirt I was wearing. He pulled the fabric up and over my head. I raised my arms to let him take it off.

"Because it suits your spunky personality, I suppose," I responded, lifting my hips off of the floor so he could pull my shorts off. "Fuck, I am in really fucking desperate need of a bath. I feel disgusting,"

Drake laughed softly. "I'll take care of that for you, Baby," he said and he nudged me right into the bath. I bobbed back up to the top and laughed, reaching up to grab his wrist and pull him in as well.

"I'm counting on it, Love," I told him, sitting on a built in bench on the edge of massive tub. "By the way… I'm really shocked you cut your hair and dyed it because I had a dream where you had this exact hair and you were… Well…" I blushed, wrapping my arms around Drake and pulling him close. He was facing me and he picked up a bar of soap, dipping it into the water to lather it up.

"You dream about me?" he asked, that nice blush never leaving his cheeks.

"Yes…" I admitted, arching into his touch as he began dragging the soap over my neck, shoulders and chest. I shivered, groaning softly and he chuckled, straddling my hips. "Probably more than I really should dream about the Pharaoh's husband."

He cocked an eyebrow at me. Most people couldn't independently move their eyebrows, but Drake could and it always made me giggle some. "You are… such a perv, aren't you?" Drake asked, rubbing all of the dirt and old sweat from my skin. I hadn't really been able to bathe since I'd fallen into a coma and I supposed sponge bathing could only go so far… "And what kind of dreams do you have about me, Thomas? Naughty ones, I image?"

I blushed deeply, looking away from him, but his artist fingers met my groin and I gasped, pushing my hips forward into his hands. He chuckled softly, cleaning my inner thighs with the soap before dragging his fingers back up. "Well… You…" I blushed, biting down on my bottom lip to suppress a rather loud moan that wanted to escape. "You came to my room, wearing close to nothing and you were… begging me to take you," I told him, gasping.

"Oh? Really now?" he asked, his fingers expertly cleaning every inch of my body. He wanted to get me clean before we decided to do anything sexual, that much was obvious, but he kept rubbing against me teasingly with his hips, thighs and his own erection. Fucking little tease. "Well," he mumbled, setting the soap down after several long moments of agonizing torture. He kissed my lips gently and then my neck. "I think you should tell me more about said dream…"

He set the bar of soap outside of the tub and bit into my neck, grinding his hips into mine. I gasped loudly, bringing my hips up to meet his and twisting my head to expose more of my neck to him. He moaned into my skin, licking at the bit he'd left in my flesh. "Drake…" I whined softly, tangling my fingers into his hair and pulling hard. "Baby…

"Tell me about it," he said, nipping the other side of my neck rather harshly. I cried out, pushing my hips up into his backside, grinding against him. He let out a beautiful, horny cry, his eyes slipping shut and his lips parted in ecstasy. "Fuck! Tommy…" he whined, grinding hard against my shaft.

"You were so beautiful Drake… You were… practically begging me to fuck you. You were wearing a… a thong and you got up on your knees, begging me and I couldn't resist you…" I whispered into Drake's ear, nibbling on his earlobe. He moaned, whining softly.

"Tommy… Tommy, please!" he whined, running his wet fingers through my hair. I growled at him, reaching down to stroke his erection under the water. He groaned, grinding hard into my hand, as if he were made to fuck it. "Fuck, baby…" he whined, throwing his head back to expose a highway of neck that I needed to mark. When Adam woke up, and I was certain he would wake up, he might want to kill me for marking his husband, but he'll get over it. I needed Drake right now…

I leaned up, licking Drake's throat, tasting a touch of vanilla among his natural flavor. He still tasted the same as I remembered and I moaned loudly into his neck, sinking my teeth into the sensitive flesh. Drake whined, tugging on my hair. I pumped his erecting hard, letting my thumb sweep over the slit every now and then again. He was moaning like a bitch in heat and I wondered just how long it had been since he and Adam had made love. From the little information I'd gathered from Alexander (and seeing him here was mind blowing enough, since he was supposed to be dead) and then the little bits I got from Drake before he just broke down crying, I figured things had been constantly bad since I'd been asleep. Drake and Adam probably didn't really have the energy to get it on and then Adam was… poisoned…

Fucking Ra.

"T-Tommy…" Drake groaned, gasping loudly. "Fuck, Tommy please! Please!" he cried, tugging harshly on my hair. I growled at him, picking up my pace on his member. He was close, I could tell by the desperation in his voice and the ragged edge in his breathing. I dropped the hand I had tangled in his hair, trailing it down his back. I rubbed his ass cheeks gently before running a finger over his entrance.

Drake's eyes went wide, crying out and dropping his head onto my shoulder. "Baby…" I whined softly, rubbing his entrance gently with my index finger. I never let up on his erection, but I loved the wails of pleasure that I got from teasing his ass. I slowly slipped one finger into him and then another. He whined loudly, bucking forward into my grasp.

"Fuck! Fuck!" Drake cried into my shoulder. My fingers brushed that spot deep within him and he cried out, thrusting hard into my hand before he came into the water. "Fucking Hell, Tommy…" he breathed into my skin, pushing away from me gently. He pushed one of his knees between my thighs, nudging my still hard erection.

"Ra! Fuck, Drake please!" I whined, holding him close. I needed my release before I exploded from electrified nerve ending. "Drake…"

"Tell me what you want, Baby," he whispered into my ear, rubbing my dick with his thigh.

"Fuck, Drake, please just touch me!" I growled, pushing my hips into his thigh and grinding shamelessly into him. "Please!" He chuckled softly, dropping his hands to my length, stroking it gently. I whined, grinding into his hand for friction I so desperately needed. I was begging to throb with pain.

"You're so horny, Tommy…" Drake whispered, dipping his tongue into the shell of my ear. I groaned quietly, thrusting into Drake's hands as if I were fucking his thigh hole instead. Ra, I wanted to, but I knew I couldn't do that. That was going a little too fair, considering Drake _was_ married to the Pharaoh of Egypt. Fucking Drake without Adam's permission was a huge no, no.

"Fuck…" we hissed together. Drake's hands tightened around me, pumping me swiftly. He let his thumbs sweep over my slit several times a minutes and I simply couldn't take it anymore. I tossed my head back, crying out as I shoved my hips forward, my erection prodding between Drake's thighs just as I came. Drake moaned loudly, gripping my shoulders tightly.

"Oh Ra…" Drake moaned, squeezing his thighs together. "I fucking missed you, baby…" he muttered, kissing my lips gently. I moaned into his mouth, deepening the kiss as much as I possibly could. We were wrapped in each other for what felt like hours. I washed Drake off, cleaning him, and then we fooled around some more. From what I could see from the window across the room, the sun had gone down and it was getting late, but we simply didn't care.

Drake and I had been apart for a month and we were used to being together every day. We had far too much time to make up and we weren't going to waste any of it. We got frisky sometimes or we just kissed and lazily cleaned each other off. It really didn't matter, considering we were just together and I was awake, alive and able to comfort Drake when he needed it.

He told me, in between our episodes of touching and exploring each other's bodies, that his brother told him Anna's death was his fault and that he shouldn't have been born. He told me his mother told him that he wasn't really his father's child and he told me about all of the fights and hatred he shared with Alex before that night when Alex just held him and everything changed.

It was a lot to take in but I couldn't say that I was upset by him sharing all of this with me. In fact, I was ecstatic that he did because it meant that I still mattered to him, that I was still an important part of his life…


	40. I'm The Only One To Blame

**Chapter Thirty-Nine: If I Let Myself Go, I'm The Only One To Blame**

**Cassidy's POV**

Two days had passed since Alexander and Drake had caught Hiei and me lip-locked in a passionate kiss. Two days and Hiei and I had spent all of our available time together, whether in my room, in my studio or in the gardens— Hiei had a fondness for them, the gardens. He found them comforting, calming, especially in the midst of early morning or early evening— dawn and twilight.

In those two days, strange and miraculous things had occurred. Alexander and Drake seemed to get along a little more, Tommy woke up from his coma, and Hiei and I had gotten even closer. Could I say that we were a couple yet? No. We weren't. There were too many unspoken things between us that, if left unspoken, would eventually divide us. But if voiced and moved from there, I could only hope that we would be okay in the end.

But even in all the wonders, Adam still had not woken from his own slumber. His body was still trying to rid itself of the poisons and he'd not so much as stirred in the days since his attempted murder. No one had been caught for the crime, either. None of the cooks or serving boys could trace back to whoever might've slipped the substances into the Pharaoh's food.

It was stressing enough having the true Pharaoh of Egypt ill to the point he was incapable of doing his job, but Drake didn't have the confidence to be Pharaoh. It was plain to see that he had a hard enough time being the Pharaoh's Husband, but to suddenly be the Pharaoh, himself? Most days, I wanted to pull the boy into my arms and tell him that he was going to be okay, but I rarely saw him.

I let out a breath, shaking my head as I tilted my head back against the padding of the armchair that I sat in. One leg was tucked beneath me, the other draped over the right arm with my sketchbook in my lap. Today was one of the rare days that I spent with Hiei in my studio. Hiei, himself, was curled up on the cushioned ledge of the bay window, deeply asleep, with one arm tucked under his head, the other draped over his stomach. He was wearing a simple pair of white trousers that ended around his knees and a white shirt that was hanging off of his shoulders slightly.

I smiled at him before glancing down at the sketch before me. It was of Hiei in his sleeping position, with his hair neatly pushed away from his face to expose his beauty. By no means was Hiei innocent in consciousness, but in sleep, like this, he looked angelic. Unmarred by troubles and fears and torment. Utterly beautiful and at peace with the world around him.

I wasn't sure when he'd fallen asleep, and as the sun was sinking below the western horizon, I found myself not caring, really, in the least. He was beautiful in every way. But I found myself letting out a pained sigh as I set my sketchbook aside on a small side table next to my chair, standing from the cushion before stretching some, feeling my joint popping back into place.

No matter how beautiful I found Hiei, I wasn't sure if we were meant to be… I wanted it, and him, dearly… More than I'd ever wanted Brad… But what if he didn't feel the same? What if he never felt the same and this was all a one-sided romance of sorts? I knew I'd had these kinds of thoughts before and I always tried to reason with myself, but I was never sure.

I wanted to talk to him about the possibility of an "us", but I didn't know when he would wake and, if he were to wake, I wasn't sure how I would even begin to start the topic. To be honest, the idea of being in a relationship terrified me… After the façade Brad had with me—

'_Are you sure it was a façade? He seemed like the lover you used to know— compassionate and loving— when you took him to his death three years ago,_' I grimaced softly, glancing at Hiei before sliding my feet into my sandals, strapping them on around my ankles. Brad had been a liar, a cheater and a traitor to all of Egypt. To Adam. To _me_. There was nothing compassionate about that son of a bitch.

'_But you loved him. You still do,_' no. No I don't. I don't love him anymore. Not after hearing about what he did to Drake. I couldn't love him after that… '_You dream about him on occasion. You dream about him and Hiei. Not at the same time, no. Separately, of course. But you still dream about him_,'

I inhaled shakily, glancing back at Hiei, seeing that he hadn't moved from his position. I wanted to wake him up and have him take a walk with me, but part of me said that I needed to take this walk alone, and that I could come back for him later. I bit down on my bottom lip, fighting the tears as I crossed to the door, pulling it open quickly before stepping out of my studio, shutting it gently behind me.

I hurried through a back hallway, cutting across part of the palace to reach the gardens as quickly as possible, the tears stinging my eyes as I fought to get away from where Hiei was sleeping, oblivious to my aching heart. I wanted so badly to love him, and yet I couldn't let go of the one man who'd caused so much hurt and hate… I couldn't let go of the one man I'd wanted more than anything in this life…

In no time, it seemed, I was outside amongst the flowers and the trees, passing them by without a second glance to steal away their beauty. All I could see were the endless hours I would spend with Brad, walking amongst these trees and flowers, hand in hand like we were the last people on Earth. Suddenly, I found myself regretting my choice to come here. But it would've been inevitable; no matter where I went, I would always see Brad there…

I couldn't stop them; the tears flowed relentlessly like the Nile. I choked on a quiet sob as I rushed passed the center piece fountain where Adam and Drake were married— the fountain I wanted to marry Brad next to. My sandals slapped the stone pathway as I passed shrubberies, trees, flower pots and statues, each sob wracking my body harder and harder until I tripped and collapsed next to a stone bench that was resting beneath a large willow tree.

I clung to the bench, weeping softly. I wanted so badly to love Hiei the way I loved Brad, but I felt like a traitor to Brad for caring so passionately about Hiei. I couldn't understand why, though. Brad had been the traitor. Brad been the one to hurt and cheat and lie, and I shouldn't have felt so horrible for caring about someone else. He'd been dead for three years. I attended his fucking execution! Why was this happening now?

Darkness began to fall before I heard the soft patter of footsteps, followed by Hiei's soft, boyish voice, "Cass?" He called out, and I lifted my head slowly, the tears long since dried and leaving their tracks on my face. He frowned in my direction before coming closer and kneeling beside me, "Cassidy, what's wrong?"

I bit down on my bottom lip, looking away from him before speaking, "Nothing, Hiei. I am fine," I lied, mentally grimacing. I didn't like lying. In fact, I hated it. I hated it more than anything else because I wasn't just lying to Hiei, but I was lying to myself, too. I wasn't fine, but I had to try, right? I had to pretend to be the adviser that was always calm and cool and able to anything and everything needed… I had to…

"Cassidy…" Hiei whispered, trailing his fingers against my cheeks, but I still did not look at him. "Cassidy, look at me," it didn't sound like a command, but it was worded as such, and I wasn't sure if I should obey or not. Part of me said no, because Hiei was of lower status than I. Part of me said yes, because I cared for him…

I listened, and lifted my head slowly, looking up at him and into his eyes, which were soft and concerned. I bit down on my lip again, trembling slightly in his hands before looking away again. Hiei sighed softly, pulling me close to him in a tight hug with his arms wrapped around my shoulders. My head rested itself against his left shoulder, close to his neck as I whimpered softly.

Hiei rubbed my back gently as I clung to him, quivering with tears that refused to fall in their numbers like before. Why was I so adamant to hold them back when I was with him? Was my subconscious wanting to stay strong when all I, really, wanted was to cry? "Cassidy, what's wrong? Please, please, talk to me," he murmured in my ear, running fingers through my hair.

"I'm afraid, Hiei," I admitted without meaning to. I'd wanted to be honest with him, right? Might as well start now…

"About what?" He asked, continuing to stroke my hair gently, his voice soft in my ear. I inhaled slowly, fisting my hands into his shirt.

"Everything… I'm afraid that I'll mess something up and I'll hurt you.. I'm afraid because.." I trailed off, whimpering softly as my throat closed up for a moment, holding back the words that my heart was trying to force from my lips.

"Because?" Hiei inquired.

"Because I want to love you like you deserve, but I'm afraid of getting hurt! I'm afraid of being betrayed because I've been there before! I've been so deep in love that I was blinded by it, and I was hurt, and I don't want to go through that again, but.. I want to _love_ you.. I want to _be_ loved by _you_ and I'm—" Hiei cut me off by lifting my head and kissing me hard, his hands pulling themselves from my hair to cup my face. I whimpered into his lips, tears streaming down my face as I kissed him back.

I'd never felt so weak with someone else before. Not with Adam. Not with Brad, even. Brad made me feel strong and sure and Hiei just made me weak and vulnerable, but it wasn't in a bad way. It was vulnerable, in a sense, that we didn't have to spend years and years together to know everything about each other. Ra, look at us, knowing each other not even a month and being as close as we were…

Hiei kept kissing me for several moments before pulling away, resting his forehead against mine, breathing hard. My hands were trembling as I held tight to his shirt, and he dragged a kiss against my jaw and my cheek before trailing his lips over mine in a light kiss. I moaned softly, leaning forward to kiss him properly for a moment before pulling away.

"You're afraid because of your old lover. Is that right?" He asked with a calm voice, and I nodded once. "What did he do, if you don't mind my asking?" I inhaled slowly.

"He was a traitor to Our Pharaoh… He abused and violated Drake on multiple occasions and murdered one of Drake's siblings… I know not of anything else he's done, though, I'm sure, those aren't the _only_ things…" I whispered to him, shaking with the memory of the rage that I felt when I heard of what Brad had done.

Hiei was silent for a moment as he held me, but that moment did not last long, "You say you're afraid of hurting me…" he lifted my head, meeting my eyes. His were gleaming in the moonlight, shining with such a light that my heart melted, "But you could never hurt me, Cassidy. Only my father has ever hurt me, and, as long as I'm here and with you, he can't reach me. He can't find me," he muttered, kissing me again. I moaned quietly into his lips, loosening my hold on his shirt.

"What happened?" I asked, again, without meaning to. Hiei swallowed once, but spoke anyway, even with the clipped and hard edge to his voice.

"When my mother died, my father, essentially, hated me. He would blame me for my mother's death most every day, saying, that, if I hadn't been born she would still be alive… If I hadn't killed her, we would be better off… After seventeen years of verbal and, sometimes, physical abuse, he woke me up and pulled me before the man that he had sold me to," Hiei shook gently, his voice growing weak and I felt my heart begin to break, "he sold me off to bed with a complete stranger because he was desperate for money…"

Suddenly, all of my fears were insignificant to Hiei's. All of my worries were nothing because I'd always lived an easier life. I'd never had worries like that. Though, in hearing his story, I found resemblance to Drake's. While Hiei was sold, Drake was taken because of money issues to become a pleasure servant. But, at least, with Drake, he was given the option. He was given to the opportunity to wait… Hiei had no option…

Our roles were seemingly reversed, and I found myself holding Hiei, tightly, to my chest. Though, unlike me, Hiei did not weep. He merely clung to me, shaking and breathing heavily, like he was trying to hold back his tears. I ran fingers through his hair, pulling him close to me until he stopped shaking and his breathing returned to normal.

"I am sorry," I told him, kissing his hair.

"Don't be, Cassidy. You've done nothing wrong," Hiei muttered to me. I sighed softly, pressing another kiss into his hair. "Just… Please… If you, really, want to love me like you say you do, don't do what my father did to me…" He pleaded and I felt my heart, truly, break.

"Never… I would never," I told him, kissing him again.


	41. With Words I Thought I'd Never Say

**Chapter Forty: Cause I See You Lying Next to Me, With Words I Thought I'd Never Say  
Alexander's POV**

It had been a few days since Tommy first woke up and, when Drake wasn't off doing Pharaoh-y things or taking care of Adam (which, as his husband, he felt it was his job to take care of him), he and Tommy were joined at the hip. They did everything together. Drake even moved to sit with him at the dinner table instead of sitting in his respected spot at the head of the table. Not that I could really blame him. Adam was supposed to be sitting with him, not… in a bed, fighting death.

Since Tommy had woken up, I'd been a little lonely. Hiei and Cassidy spent all their time with each other and/or Drake. Tommy spent all of his time with Drake or Adam and Drake himself? Well, he was temporarily the Pharaoh of Egypt. You tell me what he was doing most of the time. When he wasn't being Pharaoh, as I've stated, he was with Adam or Tommy. They were his top priorities, not that I was bitter or anything. I understood his position fully. Adam was his husband. Tommy was his best friend and kind-of lover. Probably two of the most important people in his life.

Today I decided to spend my afternoon in the gardens, do some freshening up and take care of the plants. Since Adam's attempted murder, nobody was really worried about what the gardens looked like, but I had nothing better to do, right? Besides, I know Adam would be upset if he woke up and his beautiful garden looked anything less than perfect.

I'd started on the East side, working my way towards the West, but I didn't get very far before walking right into the blond Drake was so fond of. My hand shot up to cover my mouth and nose. "Oh Ra… I'm so sorry," I muttered, staring at Tommy who had a similar expression on his face. I'd never expected to run into someone out here, especially not Tommy. He'd been a nice accessory to Drake for the last few days. I jumped on board the train of Tommy's-still-with-Drake, I supposed.

"No, no… My fault. I should have been paying more attention to where I was going, I just didn't expect many people to be out here. What with everyone looking for whoever hurt Adam and trying to keep Drake safe," he said, cracking a small, perfect smile. He, as I had noticed many times before, had full, plump lips. Something that I was sure every girl who saw him was jealous of. For half a second, I wondered what kissing those lips would be like, but then I remembered who I was standing with. This was Tommy, a boy who, by mark, was owned by the Pharaoh and by love, was owned by Drake. It was easy enough to see how much Tommy loved the new king, but it was also just as easy to see that Drake loved him too.

He just loved Adam that much more…

"Yeah, I know what you mean… I came out here to freshen up the gardens a little, you know? Since everything that's been happening, nobody has really been worried about the life out here," I said, sitting down on the edge of one of several small fountains littered throughout the garden. The one in the center, where Adam had married Drake, was definitely the biggest. The rest were very small scale. The fountain built for Anna, which was still rather small, was the next largest from what I had seen.

"Yeah but Adam would be more upset about us not taking care of it than being poisoned. He loves this place…" Tommy said. It wasn't until then that I noticed he was putting flowers into several vases. "I thought I'd come out here and pick some of the over grown flowers. The palace could use a little cheering up." He set brilliant red roses into a cream colored glass vase before pushing himself up onto the fountain with me.

"I can agree there," I told him, looking over at him. Since he'd woken up, his normal color had returned to his skin. He'd re-bleached his hair, so it was all a brilliant blond again, instead of faded blond with brown roots. His chocolate eyes were surrounded by a soft green eye shadow with a slightly darker shade liner. His clothing was simple, white shorts that formed to him nicely, stopping several inches above the knees, and a white vest with gold detailing left open in the front.

Honestly, I couldn't blame Drake for loving this boy. I couldn't blame Adam for using this boy to suit his pleasure needs. He was far too beautiful to pass up. I'd say, in his own right, that he was just as beautiful as Drake. He probably turned just as many heads… "But I kind of expected you to be with Drake today. You two have been like Siamese twins since you woke up from your coma."

A nice, rich blush painted itself across Tommy's face. "Well… When Drake kept crying, saying how scared he was, I found it really hard to leave him for any amount of time," he explained, though I knew it wasn't one sided. Tommy wanted to be with Drake just as much as Drake wanted to be with Tommy. "But he had some really important court thing to go to today. Cassidy said he had to go and he couldn't take anyone because it was official Pharaoh business. You should have seen the look on that poor boy's face. He hates being Pharaoh…"

"I know…" I whispered, frowning just a little. "I think that if he had known he would become Pharaoh in times like this, it would have been an easier transition, but apparently nobody told him Adam gave him all of his power and possessions in his will. He was kind of just shoved into the role without, really, being prepared for it…" I looked across the gardens, staring at nothing in particular. I wondered just how many flowers Drake's beauty had been compared to, by Adam as well as everyone else. "But, whether he'll ever admit it or not, he is doing a fantastic job, considering he doesn't really have any idea what he's doing."

Tommy cracked a little grin, chuckling softly. "Yes, well, he thinks he's messing everything up. When Cassidy told him about the trial thing, which he has to act as judge for, he said 'Cass, if the guy is guilty, he's guilty. If you don't have evidence he's guilty of whatever the fuck he did, how the _fuck_ do you expect me to make a good decision on it?' Cassidy kind of just sat there, stunned at the logic for a while before saying something like 'well, you still have to do it. It's your duty.' That made Drake real happy," he explained, smiling a little.

"Well, at least Drake's logical and not letting his power go to his head," I said and we both laughed. Tiny, innocent (yet not so innocent) Drake being power hungry? That was just funny to even think about. He wasn't Brad.

"So…" Tommy said after a brief and somewhat awkward silence. "Drake tried explaining to me how exactly you aren't, you know, dead… But he didn't really have an answer. He's told me that you two didn't exactly see eye to eye for a while, so he didn't ever find out what happened ten years ago. If it's not too… pushy or out of place for me to ask, how are you alive? Adam always told us both how you died in his arms and how horrible it was for him. That's not just something you can fake."

I sighed deeply, looking over at him. "Brad," I said. "Brad didn't become so power hungry and demented over night. He was always like that…"

"Did Brad do something to you?" Tommy asked, his chocolate eyes going round. I wondered if he pieced it together yet… Drake might have suffered a lot due to what Brad had done to him, but he wasn't Brad's first victim.

"He… slipped me a drug that dropped my heart rate so low it made me appear dead," I told him. "He wanted to break apart Adam's rule and his Egypt by breaking his heart, but… obviously that didn't work. I do, however, believe that the drug he used on me was the same one that was slipped to you. I don't believe your coma was a natural one…"

"Well," Tommy started, glancing warily at me. "The boy who had been taking care of me… I don't remember his name now, came into my room and he was saying something about Drake. I can't, for the life of me, remember what he'd been saying, but… He definitely injected me with something that wasn't the medicine the doctor prescribed to me."

"Did you tell Drake? Or anyone?" I asked.

He sighed, shaking his head a little. "No… Not yet. I mean, I'm going to but with all the stress Drake is under? I didn't want to make anything worse. For all I know, it was just a new medicine that I had a bad reaction to, or something. I can't really prove that what he gave me was anything but orthodox."

"Do you really believe that, Tommy? With everything that has been happening around here?" I asked. It was a wonder that we weren't more afraid to be alone. I guess we all assumed that Drake was the next target, so, as long as he had protection and people with him at all times, things should be fine. We'd catch whoever had been doing this eventually. At least, we had to believe that we would. We weren't going to leave Drake alone until whoever this man was, was captured and placed in jail or sentenced for execution.

"Not really for a second, but…" he said, shrugging. "We'll figure it out, I'm sure."

I nodded my agreement, smiling softly at him. "So… how's it been being awake after being asleep for so long?" I asked.

He grinned again. "It feels like I've been reborn, as corky as that sounds. I just have so much energy, I don't even know what to do with myself half the time. Drake's helpful but I can't be with him all the time…" he said, his smile slipping a little. "Since he's not mine, but now he's also serving all of Egypt, he can only dedicate so much of his time to me. Everyone in Egypt wants a slice of his time."

"Or a slice of something else…" I mumbled. He blinked and our eyes met, before we both laughed softly.

"Yeah well, he does have that whole 'too sexy to realize it' thing going on," he said, laughing a little. "But nobody would have the guts to hit on him, seeing as he's the Pharaoh's husband."

"You hit on him," I commented and again, Tommy's cheeks flamed a brilliant crimson. "You do it a lot, actually," I teased, watching his cheeks grow even darker. It was mean of me, but I couldn't really help myself. Tommy seemed like such an easy and fun boy to taunt.

"Yes well, Adam used to ask us to have sex in front of him. I think I've earned my rights to flirt with and size him up," he told me and a little smirk broke out across his plump, girly lips, despite the fact that he still looked like and Egyptian lobster. "Besides, Drake may not pick up on this as much as I do, but I've seen you turn on the charm around him just as much as I do."

It was my turn to turn a nice shade of red, probably something to match Tommy's face. "I… I do _not_ flirt with Drake!" I exclaimed, although that was pretty much a lie. Maybe Drake didn't like me at first, but I'd always been fascinated with and just a little too protective of him.

"Yes you do. It's subtle, but it's there. Drake hasn't picked up on it, but you like him, don't you?" he asked and I glanced away from him.

"Can you blame me? Doesn't everyone who meets him fall for him in some shape or form of the term?" I asked, glancing back over at Tommy. He nodded a little.

"It's amazing, the influence he has on people and he doesn't even realize he has it," he commented. "The day Adam chose him out of all of the groups of boys brought in, I couldn't help but fall for him. Back then, he was adorable. Not to say that he isn't now, but back then he was completely pure and innocent. He didn't even know how to kiss," A little smile tugged at the blond's lips. Probably a fond memory of the first few weeks Drake had been living in the palace. "I couldn't help but fall for him and when he was first here, I knew Adam didn't really love him for him. He loved him because he looked and acted like you, so I grew rather protective of him as well."

"I can't exactly say I blame you…" I told him, frowning a little. "I understand completely, the fascination and attraction to him. It's other worldly…"

Tommy laughed softly, shaking his head so his bangs flipped out of his face. "I am honestly beginning to believe he's a God in disguise. There's really no other way to explain him. Especially with his new hair… He's just not human. He can't be." I laughed at that, shaking my head a little.

"Maybe he is from a different world, who knows? Until he admits to us what he is, we'll have to assume that he is human though," I said, looking over at Tommy. "How do you handle it, Tommy?" I asked after another short silence.

"Handle what?" he asked, looking back at me. His eyes were swimming with knowing. He knew exactly what I was talking about but he didn't exactly want to talk about it. I didn't blame him, but he needed to voice his thoughts to _someone_ and he obviously couldn't do that with Drake.

"You and I both know I'm talking about how you handle your love for Drake. You love him endlessly but he's married to Adam. How do handle seeing him with someone else?" I was asking, partly for Tommy's benefit, but partly for my own. I would never take Adam from Drake, but I was still in love with the Pharaoh. It sometimes hurt too much to see him married to someone else. "If it's too personal…"

Tommy just shook his head softly. "It's not too personal. It's not a secret that I love Drake. It's… really not always easy to see him with Adam all the time. It's actually really fucking hard, especially when I first found out they were getting married, but when it becomes too much, I just take a step back and look at Drake without putting me into the equation. He's happy and that's all I've ever wanted for him," he explained, looking over at me, his eyes piercing through mine. Suddenly, I felt naked and exposed to him, and not in a way that we would both find pleasant and arousing. "And I know that Drake loves me. He proves that to me all the time and I'm happy to have that. It's enough to keep me going and keep me happy enough, even if Drake isn't, truly, mine."

"It's hard regardless, isn't it?" I asked quietly.

Tommy sighed softly, his eyes falling to the water filling the fountain and he reached down, dragging his fingers through the moisture. "It is hard. Extremely hard, but I can't let him being with another man upset me too much. I love him and I want to see him happy. Being married to Adam, when things aren't crashing down around him, that is, makes him extremely happy. I can't ask for anything more," he said. "One day, I believe I'll find someone else I love just as much as Drake and I'll have the relationship I've been yearning for. Until I find that person, I'll be content with the love Drake does give me."

"That's very mature of you…" I said, watching his hand swirl in the crystal blue water.

"Yes well, I may not look like it, but I'm twenty-eight and I'm very mature," he said, smirking a little. I could tell that our serious conversation was over, which was really fine with me. Tommy and I didn't know each other very well yet, this was just the beginning. A little bit of seriousness thrown into our joking was exactly what we needed to start a great friendship.

"So I've heard," I replied, smirking back at him. "You'd have to be _very mature_ if Adam kept you around all these years." He laughed and scooped some water into his hand, tossing it out of the fountain and at me. "Oh, hey now!" I exclaimed, cupping both of my hands in the water to toss at him.

By the time we were actually going back into the palace for dinner, we were both soaking wet.


	42. But I Want More, No, I Won't Stop

**Chapter Forty-One: But I Want More, No, I Won't Stop**

**Drake's POV**

It was a strange sight to see when Tommy and Alex came barreling into the dining hall, both of them soaking wet and laughing like they were adolescent teenagers instead of grown, mature men. But, at the same time, it was refreshing to see them in a playful mood, laughing their heads off with water dripping from the ends of their hair. The sight made me smile and shake my head.

Lately, it felt like the world was crashing down on me. Adam still hadn't woken up from recovering from the poison and I was damned sure I was ruining his Egypt by trying to fill in his shoes. Cassidy told me, day in and day out, that I was doing fine. That I was managing well enough for Egypt, but I just didn't believe it. Adam was the Pharaoh— he was Egypt, itself. I felt like an imposter, trying to fill in for him. Like I was ruining what he'd spent his entire life creating…

In addition to Adam not waking up, I missed him like no other. I missed seeing him smile, hearing him laugh and tell me that he loved me. I missed falling asleep in his arms and kissing him and loving him like I always had. I missed him to the point that I would curl up, alone, in our bed and I would cry and cry for hours, drinking in his scent. I would dream of him wrapping his arms around me, holding me and kissing me. I would dream of him making such sweet love to me that I would wake up, sometimes aching between the legs or spent just from the dream, itself.

Tommy was a great comfort to me, during the times that I actually had to spend with him. Becoming Pharaoh's Husband lessened our time together, at first, and then when he fell ill, we were separated. But it seemed like the Gods were determined to keep Tommy and I from each other, for now Adam was sick and I was Pharaoh. Tommy was awake, but I saw little of him. And, at dinner, when he came in with Alex, laughing and acting like he'd known Alex his whole life…

Needless to say, I felt… betrayed, almost.

Was I expecting Tommy to wait up for me in his room until my Pharaoh matters were taken care of? Of course not. Was I expecting him to sit and be patient until I called on him? Never. After using him the way I had three years ago— though, he always claimed that I hadn't used him, and that we had made love— I never dreamed of treating Tommy like he was a slave to me, even with the change in our status.

Was I expecting to desire his company only to find that he'd been with Alex? No. However, did that make anything any easier? Absolutely not.

Part of me wanted to kick myself and say that I had no right to be jealous that Tommy had spent his time with Alex and not me. Tommy was entitled to spend time with whoever he pleased, and I had no reason or right to tell him otherwise. However, part of me wanted to kick myself and say that I had every right to be jealous. Alex didn't know two shits about Tommy, and Tommy was my best friend. Tommy and I were bound by a kind of love that I, highly, doubted Alex would ever understand…

I'd already been threatened, once, by Alex when it came to Adam. Now I had to feel threatened when it came to Tommy, too?

Fuck my life.

I tried, though, not to let it bother me. But seeing them, laughing and having a jolly-good time left me feeling betrayed, stupid and frustrated. Betrayed by Tommy, stupid for feeling betrayed by Tommy when he was entitled to a life of his own, and frustrated by the whole mess in the first place. Unfortunately, though, none of my frustrated and confused thoughts cleared up by the time I went to bed, and I got very little in the ways of decent sleep.

I woke up late the next morning with a raging headache and absolutely no motivation to get out of bed and do anything. My body felt like it was a thousand pounds heavier than it truly was. My head was screaming at me for sleeping for so long, pulsing behind my eyes and in my ears, sounding like a thousand bells and blinding me like a thousand suns. I ended up throwing a pillow over my face to, hopefully, slip back into darkness. Naturally, though, I had no such luck.

Growling softly to myself, I peeled the pillow and the blankets away, lying sprawled out on the bed with my eyes closed, my hair tangled and knotted beneath and around my head. I was only twenty-one, but I felt like a bitter eighty-year-old. I couldn't understand why, either.. I couldn't figure out, for the life of me, what had happened… I used to be so humble, so shy and gentle… I used to be fucking innocent, and now? Now I was the opposite. I was conceited, temperamental and whiny. Ra… What happened to me?

Before I could degrade myself further on how I had changed over the years, I heard a soft knock at the door of the chamber. Groaning, I tilted my head up, glancing at the door, "Come in," I muttered, grabbing the edge of the blanket and tossing it back over my naked body, letting my eyes slip shut again. I never slept with clothes on anymore, and I didn't want to just lay, completely exposed, to whoever needed to come into mine and Adam's room.

The door clicked open quietly, and swung shut before I heard the soft patter of well-worn sandals against the stone floor. I didn't lift my head to see who it was, simply, because, I didn't give a damn. The footsteps drew closer and closer before the bed shifted slightly. I frowned, opening my eyes to see Hiei, kneeling on the edge of the bed with a plate of food resting on a tray in front of him.

"Good morning, Drake," he muttered gently, a smile plucking at his lips. I blinked, sitting up slowly, making sure to stay covered. Hiei was dressed in a pair of green trousers with a grey, almost silvery, embroidery along the hem with a matching shirt that hung off of his shoulders. It wasn't anything I'd ever seen from the market, and I could only assume that someone had made it for him.

"Hiei… Uh, g-good morning," I stuttered softly, suddenly feeling very embarrassed for only being covered by a blanket in front of him. In truth, I shouldn't have been so embarrassed. I was the Pharaoh's husband and he, sadly, a servant. I should have felt comfortable, but I felt exposed, and not in a good way.

"I— I brought you some food.. You missed breakfast," he said quietly, and I glanced down at the plate, seeing a slab of well-cooked meat with slices of bread buttered to perfection and two eggs, a small pitcher of water next to the plate, along with a cup. My mouth watered at the sight of the food and my stomach growled at me. Hiei chuckled gently, bowing his head to me in respect.

"I.. I apologize, I did not mean to sleep so late," I explained, readjusting the blanket some before reaching for the tray, pulling it closer. Hiei nodded once, keeping his head down.

"It's alright. It was originally suggested that you be woken and informed when it was time for lunch, but.. I did not think it would be fair to let you go so long without food, and I insisted that I bring you some," Hiei muttered gently, and I smiled at him, though his head was down. He was so sweet, "I… I also wanted to make sure you were alright," he admitted, lifting his head to look at me, "at dinner, last night, you were very quiet when Alexander and Thomas came in…"

I glanced away for a moment, plucking a slice of bread from the plate before taking a small bite. It was still warm, freshly toasted, and I smiled gently, taking another bite before chewing and swallowing, "It's been.. A stressing week, to say the least, since Adam fell ill," I told him, taking another bite.

"Understandable. I believe, if I were in your shoes, I would not be doing nearly as well as you are right now, handling the stress of being Pharaoh as well as worrying about love.." Hiei said quietly, and I glanced at him, raising an eyebrow slightly. His eye caught mine and he looked away, clenching his jaw.

"Tell me something, Hiei," I murmured, setting my half-eaten bread down, "Your.. relationship.. with Cassidy? Enlighten me, if you don't mind?" I inquired, bringing my knees up to rest my arms on them, smiling sweetly at him.

Hiei's face flushed a gentle scarlet color and I chuckled, but otherwise remained silent, "Cassidy.. Has been very good to me. Very patient with me. He's been willing to let me.. understand what it means to feel this way for someone so suddenly. He's… Well, he's quite the gentleman, to be honest," Hiei mused with a smile on his face, a distant look in his eyes that flashed for only a moment, "and he's been very open with me, trusting and kind… Something, to say the least, that I am not used to…" He trailed off and I frowned slightly.

"What do you mean?" I asked, wondering if I was stepping over too personal of bounds.

"I have.. Been victim to issues of trust… and value, a lot, in my life," Hiei said simply, and there was something in me that wanted to know more, but I did not want to question him unnecessarily. Instead, I nodded once, looking away from him to eat more of my food. No sense in letting it go cold when Hiei had gone through the trouble of bringing it to me.

Hiei and I sat in silence for the longest time, up until I finished my late breakfast and drank a considerable amount of water. I'd just set my empty glass back down when Hiei lifted his head a little, looking over at me through the curtains of his bangs, "Did you enjoy your breakfast?" I glanced at him before chuckling softly.

"Yes, I did, thank you. Though, you didn't have to go through the trouble of getting it for me," I told him, but Hiei just shrugged his lanky shoulders, smiling warmly at me.

"I wanted to," Hiei admitted and I smiled at him, leaning over slowly to press a gentle kiss to his cheek. His skin was warm with a blush before I pulled away, and Hiei's eyes were wide when I looked at him. I laughed.

"Thank you, then. It was very kind of you," I said softly, keeping my knees tucked up against my chest with the blanket wrapped around my hips. Hiei nodded once, smiling shyly at me as he gathered up the tray in his arms, slipping off of the bed and making his way towards the door of the chamber. I watched him leave before wrapping my arms around my knees, tucking my head down silently, sighing heavily.

Part of me said to get up, get dressed and do something useful. But I still had that sense of no motivation. I wanted to go back to sleep, but I knew that would just be a waste of time. A waste of energy. A waste of a life.

Sighing again, I uncurled myself from the ball I'd put myself in before peeling the covers back, slipping from the bed. I padded across the room, naked, towards the wardrobe on the other side of the room. Reaching forward, I grabbed the handles, pulling the doors open before glancing inside. It was warm, today, so I decided to snatch out a pair of white shorts with gold embroidery, a loose fitting white shirt and a sheer white robe.

Quickly, I tugged the shorts on, pulling the shirt over my head and letting it hang loosely off of my shoulders before slipping the robe on. The robe hung off of my shoulders, inching a little just beyond the tips of my fingers and ending around my thighs. I slid my feet into my sandals, strapping them on around my ankles.

Standing straight, I turned on my heel, making my way across the chamber towards the doors, pulling them open before slipping out into the hall, tugging them shut behind me. Inhaling deeply, I glanced both ways down the hallway before turning to my left, making my way towards the room that Adam was resting in. I hadn't gone to see him in a few days and, to be honest, I just wanted to spend time with him… Maybe, try to wake him up, if I could.

Sometimes it was hard to believe that Adam had been sick for a week, or so. It always seemed like it was only yesterday when he collapsed at dinner. I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing back the memory of watching him fall like that. It had been the most terrifying experience of my life, next to when Brad was still alive… Shuddering, I rounded a corner, making my way towards Adam's room when Tommy's voice stopped me.

"Drake?" I paused in mid step, turning a little to see Tommy coming up behind me. He was dressed in a grey, long sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up around his elbows and a pair of grey pants, looking healthier than he had in the past few days. I smiled faintly at him, turning fully towards him.

"Tommy," I acknowledged him as he stepped up to me, cupping my face tenderly in my hands giving me a sweet kiss on the lips. I moaned softly, my tongue sliding along his between our mouths for a moment before he pulled away. I smiled a little more at him, taking his hand and lacing our fingers together.

"Would you mind if I joined you in wherever it is you are going?" He asked, and I laughed quietly, shaking my head.

"I would not mind a bit, Tommy," I said, "I was, actually, going to go check on Adam," I explained, turning again, walking with him down the rest of the way to Adam's room. Tommy nodded once, giving my hand a soft squeeze as we neared the door to Adam's room. Inhaling slowly, I prepared my heart for a letdown, like always, praying to the Gods that I would find the strength in Tommy's presence and in his love not to cry, again.

Pushing open the doors, Tommy and I stepped inside, leaving it open to let in fresh air and light. Adam was laying on the bed in the same position as the night when he was first brought to this room. His arms were at his sides as his face was tilted up towards the ceiling, his eyes closed. The only difference was that there was a touch more color to his face than before, and my heart skipped a beat.

Quietly, Tommy and I made our way to Adam's side. Tommy pulled up a small chair to the side of the bed, sitting in it with the back of the chair against his chest. I took a seat on the edge of Adam's bed, reaching down to take his hand in mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. I bit down on my bottom lip, trying so hard to hold back the tears that wanted to spill down my cheeks.

"Hey baby," I whispered to him, momentarily forgetting about the blond beside me. For a moment, it was just me and Adam. The two of us in this room, alone. And Adam was merely sleeping. Not fighting off poison that was meant to kill him… Oh, Ra… My heart clenched in my chest. I was, still, so very thankful that Adam had realized there was something wrong before consuming too much of the poison… I couldn't lose him.

"Adam," Tommy murmured beside me, and I blinked, swallowing the lump from my throat, "please come back to us. I'm here now, but Drake needs you. Egypt needs you… Drake is doing a fantastic job, filling in for you, but I know he's not happy doing it," Tommy said, talking like I wasn't even there. I felt my face heat up delicately and I looked away from them both, "Please, Adam. He needs you. I need you,"

I gnawed on my bottom lip, tracing circles into the back of Adam's hand. For a moment, I thought I felt his fingers twitch against my grasp. Perhaps it was my wishful thinking.. My overactive imagination. Adam had been asleep for a week, and I'd begun to wonder if he would be like Tommy… Sleeping for a month before coming back to us. But, then, why did I imagine his hand twitching?

Glancing down at our hands, I squeezed his hand again, breathing deeply as tears stung my eyes. I wanted to stop fucking crying, but it seemed like everything, these days, were bringing the waterworks to my eyes. I wanted to be done with all of this, but I just couldn't help it.

I dipped my head, my shoulders trembling once with tears before I felt it again— Adam's hand twitching. I opened my eyes, staring hard at our hands. Out of my peripheral, I could see Tommy watching as well, a frown pulling at his plump lips. It couldn't have been my imagination if Tommy was seeing something, right? A tear fell, rolling down my cheek as I gazed deeply at our hands. It seemed like forever passed until— there.

Adam's fingers stretched a little, before tightening around mine.

My head snapped up to Adam's face, my eyes searching for any signs of life coming back to him. Was he.. Really? Oh, Ra, please.. Please, give him back to me. Don't tease me like this, please! My heart was thrashing in my chest as Adam's mouth dropped open slightly, and he groaned, his head slowly lolling towards myself and Tommy. I gasped, staring with wide eyes at him.

"Adam?" Tommy whispered gently, reaching out and covering mine and Adam's hands with his own palm, giving us a squeeze.

"Baby?" I added, reaching out to caress Adam's cheek. His head lolled back and he leaned into my touch, groaning again. Were my prayers finally being answered? They had to have been… Please..

Adam groaned again, squeezing mine and Tommy's hands before his eyes fluttered open, first staring blankly up at the ceiling before he blinked, turning his focus, first, to me. He blinked again, a small smile stretching at his lips as he sighed heavily, "Drake…" He whispered and I choked on a sob, leaning down to press my forehead to his chest, shaking like a leaf against him. "Drake…" Adam whispered again, slowly reaching up to rest his free palm on the back of my hand.

"Oh, Adam," I wept, squeezing his hand as tightly as my meager strength would allow. I was not very physically strong, but I must've been strong enough to make Adam uncomfortable, for he groaned again, tugging his hand away from my palm a little. I inhaled slowly, loosening my grip as I sat up. I glanced at Tommy, noticing Adam's eyes following mine before his own widened.

"Tommy…?" Adam muttered, and the blond smiled at him, tears rolling down his face. "Tommy, you're… You're alive," Tommy nodded once, taking Adam's hand from me, giving him a soft squeeze.

"I'm here, Adam. I'm here," he said gently, kissing Adam's hand lightly. Adam smiled weakly at us, tears pooling in his ocean eyes. I whimpered, leaning down to kiss Adam sweetly, my palm coming up to cup his face tenderly. Adam moaned quietly into my mouth, letting his lips part to allow my tongue access to his mouth. I felt Adam's hand come up to the back of my head before his fingers tangled into my hair, pulling tenderly.

I broke our kiss, caressing his cheek as I cried gently, "I love you… I'm so glad you're awake," I whispered to him. Adam whimpered softly, grazing a kiss against my lips.

"I love you too, Drake… I love you, too,"


	43. We Got Down On the Floor, Baby

**Chapter Forty-Two: He Mumbled Something While We Got Down On the Floor, Baby  
Hiei's POV**

I couldn't exactly explain the uncomfortable heat that was continuously washing over my body, despite the cold, desert night air. I was in my room, attempting to sleep. It was late-ish but not too late. People were still up and about, going about their normal routines. I wanted to blame the noise for why I couldn't get any sleep, but it wasn't, really, that distracting to me. Living on the streets had been much more noisy than this.

My conversation with Cassidy kept flashing through my mind, along with the dozens of passionate kisses we'd shared and that one day in the library… A soft, instinctive moan passed through my lips before I even realized I had the urge to make the sound in the first place. Needless to say, I had a very negative attitude towards sex, considering my father tried to sell me to a man who wanted me only for sex. I was still a virgin for that very reason. People had made advances on me in the past and I always turned them down. I didn't like being touched or held. Until recently, I didn't even like having someone stare at me for too long. I hated intimacy.

But the Pharaoh's adviser, Cassidy, had changed all of that in a matter of weeks.

Cassidy knew more about me than anyone else, simply because he was the only one I _did_ tell. He was the only one I ever felt comfortable with telling. I'd never gotten close enough to tell anyone else… But, with Cassidy, it wasn't a one sided street. In fact, he opened up to me first! He told me that he wanted to love me, that he did love me, but the wounds his former lover had left were keeping him from moving too far.

At first, I felt like him wanting to move slowly, because of Brad, was a good thing. It gave me time to adjust to the idea of having a lover, of belonging to someone. That was something I never even imagined I would ever be. I desperately desired and envied the relationships I saw all around me, but the protective wall I built around myself prevented me from ever exploring the possibilities. My father had ruined that for me.

But, like I said before, Cassidy had changed my view on being close to people in a matter of weeks. I wanted to be in his arms more than I wanted to be by myself. I _liked_ when he kissed me and I _loved_ when he touched me. I kept telling myself that I had kept my virginity this long for a reason, but every day that past was one more day my desire for Cassidy increased tenfold.

I'd liked him for a while now, but it wasn't until that day in the gardens that I truly felt connected to him. It took some kind of meaningful relationship to open up to someone like that, right? I wasn't, exactly, an expert on relationships or anything, but I've only seen people be so honest if they meant something to someone. At least, that's what I got from my observations. I couldn't really say that I paid a lot of attention to the subject, considering I didn't care.

But then Cassidy showed up in my life, or I showed up in his. Whichever.

Tossing and turning, I quickly realized I was not going to be getting any sleep tonight. My mind was dwelling in matters that I didn't know too much about, but knew enough… "Fucking Hell, Cassidy," I cursed, sitting up and throwing the thin sheet I had been using away. "How did you fucking do this to me?"

I couldn't just lay here and hope that the dull aching between my legs was just going to go away. Maybe I really didn't know that much about being aroused, because I'd never really had a reason to be before, but I was sure it wasn't going to just disappear because I wanted it to. Ignoring it wasn't working, so I pushed myself out of bed and left me room without worrying about my sandals.

A few people were still rushing about the halls, trying to finish their daily work so they could go to bed, like everyone else was doing. Maybe it was later than I'd originally thought. How fucking long had I just been laying there in my heated discomfort? The people who did pass me didn't pay me any mind. I wasn't important other than the fact that I was always with Cassidy or Drake. I was recognized, but everyone knew I was a servant.

By the time Cassidy's door came into view, I was practically running through the halls. Fuck, when did I become so desperate? I knocked as softly as I could manage of the wooden slab that made up Cassidy's door. There was a soft "just a moment" one the other side of the door, followed by some shuffling around the room and, finally, Cassidy pulling the door open.

He seemed a little shocked to see me. I couldn't blame him, really. I should have been asleep right now, but I simply could not sleep. "Hello, Hiei," he said, taking a step to the side to let me in. I took a few steps into the room and Cassidy closed the door behind us. "Is something wrong?" he asked, his arm wrapping itself around my waist while the other came up to cup my face. "You're a little warm…" he mumbled, brief worry washing over his beautiful face. "You're not feeling sick, are you?" Apparently, worrying about fever was like a qualification for living in this palace.

"No…" I mumbled, a light blush flaming across my face. "But I can't sleep… I…" I bit my lip, looking away from him. Why was a natural desire so embarrassing to express? I couldn't really grasp the concept, but talking about sexual desires with someone for the first time was… very embarrassing. _Just fucking tell him, Hiei! You two have already been fucking intimate. You let him strip you in the library and touch you all over. You shouldn't be so fucking embarrassed to tell him what you want!_ I mentally scolded myself.

But did I, really, know what it was that I wanted? I'd never been so close to someone before. I wasn't one-hundred percent sure that I wanted to give myself to Cassidy yet but, clearly, my body didn't agree with my brain.

"You what, baby?" Cassidy asked, frowning a little. He tucked a finger under my chin, forcing me to look at him. The blush remained across my cheeks and no matter how much I tried to pull out of his grasp, he was too strong. "What's wrong?"

"I keep… Cassidy, I keep thinking about that night in the garden, when you told me about Brad and I told you about my father… And the way you held me and promised me you'd never hurt me like that," I mumbled, speaking a little too quickly, but he seemed to understand. "I realized that I've never been so open with someone before. I've never… been so close to anyone else and… I'm not entirely sure how to say this…"

Cassidy pressed his forehead to mine, both of his hands coming up to cup my face. "You're afraid of it?" he asked. "But, you crave being closer?"

"How… How did you know that?" I mumbled, blinking up at him.

He smiled sheepishly, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips. "Because it's exactly how I feel," he whispered into my lips. "I want to know everything about you, Hiei… I want to know how you feel, what makes you happy, what makes you upset and what makes you tick. I want to know every inch of you and, really, I can't stop thinking about you." Needless to say, my blush deepened tenfold.

"I can't stop thinking about you, either. I can't get you off my mind and it's starting to interfere with everything I try to do. I can't even sleep, Cassidy! And I just want to… to figure all of this out," I said, staring him in the eye despite my embarrassment. "I want to give myself to you, but I'm terrified of that level of intimacy."

Cassidy stared at me for a long time in silence before his fingers began rubbing circles into my cheeks. "Physical intimacy?" he mused. "Well, I understand your fears of it but… we've already reached that intimacy on an emotion level and that's much harder to do."

I blushed again, nodding a little. "I guess you're right but… I've never had sex with anyone before and I don't, exactly, have that great of view of it…" I admitted. I kind of assumed that he figured out I was a virgin already, but saying it out loud was completely different.

He kissed me sweetly again. "Baby," he whispered, his thumbs still drawing circles into my cheeks. "You know I would never force you to do anything you felt uncomfortable with. We'll go at your speed. If you want to try, and we don't go all the way, that's fine. If you want to wait, that's fine too. Whatever you're comfortable with,"

"What are you comfortable with?" I asked him, my eyes a little wide as I stared back at him. As much as the idea of sex terrified me, the thought of living in the constant haze of incompleteness was even worse. I needed some sort of relief from this.

"Whatever you want, Hiei," he said. "I'm not afraid of being intimate with you, not anymore," he added. "Not after that night in the gardens,"

This time, I stared at him in silence for a few moments, before I finally built up the courage to tell him what I wanted. "What would you say if I told you I wanted you to take me?" I whispered, feeling younger than I had in years.

"I would say whenever you're ready," he said, more sure of himself than I was of myself. "Is that what you want?" he asked after a moment of just watching me blush. I stared up into his eyes and nodded, unable to find my voice. "Is that what you want right now?" Was it what I wanted at this very moment? I wasn't entirely sure, but I nodded anyway. He said if I wanted to stop, we could. I had to trust him on that.

He didn't say another word. His lips merely covered mine in a heated, passionate kiss. I couldn't fight the moan that ripped itself from my throat and I arched up into him, my arms winding themselves around his neck. His arms latched around my waist as he deepened the kiss, pushing his tongue into my throat. I only moaned again, allowing my tongue to taste and wander around his before shoving it back into his mouth along with mine.

After a minute, he broke the kiss, breathing heavily. "Just tell me if you need me to stop, alright?" he asked quietly. I merely nodded, panting slightly. Couldn't he see that I was desperate for some form of release? I wanted him to just get on with it before I chickened out.

Cassidy walked backwards, away from his bed, which confused me. Instead, he sat in a large, plump chair that sat in the corner of his room, along with a few bookshelves. He must have done a lot of reading or studying. He probably had to for his job. If he wanted to be a good adviser to the Pharaoh of Egypt, he needed to know what the fuck he was talking about, I'd imagine.

He sat down in the chair and looked up at me. "What?" I mumbled. From what little I did know about sex, it usually took place on a bed, not in a chair. I wasn't even sure we would be able to do it on a chair, but Cassidy was the expert, not me.

"Climb into my lap, baby," he said, taking my hands in his and pulling me close. "Straddle my hips, you know, like you did in the dining hall a few days ago." My ever existing blush deepened and I did what I was told. I climbed on top of Cassidy, straddling his hips with my knees.

His hands fell to my hips and he kissed me again, pulling a gasp from my lips. His fingers trailed under the fabric of my loose fitting shirt and he trailed them up my sides, pulling the shirt with them. I shivered under his touch, moaning into his mouth. He broke the kiss just long enough to completely pull the shirt up. I lifted my arms so he could pull it off. He tossed it off to the side, but I didn't really know where it landed, nor did I really give a damn at this point.

Cassidy looked down my torso and smiled, leaning forward to leave a kiss on my jaw line. "I will admit that I've never met such a beautiful boy," he whispered into my skin, nipping at it gently. His hands roamed up and down my sides again, stopping right around my ribcage. His fingers danced across my skin, stopping at my nipples, and he rubbed them both at one.

I gasped loudly, arching into him. "That's not true. This palace if full of beautiful boys…" I whined quietly, gnawing on my lower lip.

Cassidy chuckled. "Adam likes to surround himself with beautiful boys, yes, but you are so stunning…" he mumbled, dropping his lips to my neck. He drug a few wet kisses across the skin before he bit down lightly.

"Aaaah…" I moaned out, a little louder than the other moans. I could practically feel him smirking into my skin. "Cassidy…" I whined and he bit down a little harder, trying to mark me, no doubt. I was sure he was succeeding, but I didn't care. Usually, you wouldn't think a bite would feel good, but this sent blood rushing right to my lower regions.

He pulled away, only to bite into another portion of my neck, a little to the right of the first one and he pinched my nipples hard, pulling what I could only describe as a strangled cry from my lips. "Good to know that biting your neck and pinching your nipples are just like instant turn-ons for you," he whispered, licking the marks he'd just put into my skin.

I blushed furiously. "Shuddup…" I mumbled. He chuckled softly and dipped his head down, dropping his hands back to my hips. At first, I didn't understand, but then he licked my nipple and I cried out, arching into him and jerking forward. I could hear his moans as he pulled the bud between his teeth, sucking on it like it was his favorite candy and he needed as much of it as he could get. "Aah… Cass- Ah!" I cried, moving my fingers up into his slightly shaggy hair to pull on it. He growled around my nipple and bit down on it lightly. "Fuck…" I whined, squirming a little, but his hands kept me firmly in place.

Once satisfied, he moved across my chest to the other nipple. Cold air washed over his saliva and a shiver of pure pleasure shot from the base of my spine, up. He went to work on my other nipple, leaving its twin slick and bubbled up into hardness. His hands, I didn't realize for a moment, were wandering, digging at my shorts. I gasped, but kept myself in place, letting him undo the material in the front.

It wasn't until he nudged me through the fabric of my shorts, that I truly realized how much I was already aching down there. I whined quietly, pulling on Cassidy's hair again. For a second time, he growled at me, but I found it… a little too sexy to resist. "Cass… Cassidy, please… it hurts," I whined, burying my nose into his hair. He smelled like he'd recently taken a bath but his hair had time to dry. It probably didn't take long. He didn't have nearly as much as I did or Drake or even Alexander.

"Relax, baby," he whispered, pulling away from the nipple. The same sensations shot up my spine. "I'm going to take good care of you, I promise," I whined again, instinctively grinding my hips into his. I could feel his erection pressing into my thigh, I whimpered, leaning forward to nuzzle my face into his neck, leaving a few kisses here and there.

"Please baby…" I whimpered, grinding into him again. He gasped and I pawed at his shirt, pulling it up some. He lifted his arms for me, like I had for him, and I pulled his shirt off, tossing it off to be forgotten with my shirt. "Baby…"

"Get up, Hiei," he whispered softly, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips. "Go get the bottle out of my nightstand, please." I was confused and I whined some, but I did as I was asked and fetched the bottle out of Cassidy's night stand. I walked back over and handed the bottle to him. He set it on the arm of the chair and sat up straight, reaching for my shorts again. They were already undone in the front, so he simply grabbed them on each side and tugged them down, letting them fall to the floor.

Blushing, I stepped out of them, leaving myself completely exposed to Cassidy. He stared at me for a while, a light blush creeping across his face. "Ra, you're beautiful," he whispered.

"Cassidy…" I mumbled, staring down at him in my embarrassment. "It's not fair that… I'm the only one who's naked…" He chuckled and stood up so he could slip his trousers off, and my eyes went wide. I'd seen Cassidy, somewhat, exposed to me before, but completely naked with each other? That was completely different and Cassidy was even more beautiful than I'd ever imagined…. "Fuck…"

Cassidy sat down in the chair again and he motioned for me to climb back onto him, so I did. I straddled his hips again, but instead of having some form of clothing between us, our skin rubbed against one another and I could feel his erection pressing into my thighs. I whimpered softly, wrapping my arms around his neck again.

He pressed a gentle kiss into my cheek, licking it afterwards. "Do you want to stop?" he asked but I just shook my head and buried my face into his neck.

"No… No, please," I whispered, dragging a few kisses across his skin. He moaned quietly, his hands roaming, almost petting my back, like he was trying to commit every inch of my body to memory. Maybe that's exactly what he was doing, I wasn't entirely sure, but my face remained heated the entire time. It only intensified when his hands reached my ass, cupping both of my cheeks. I whined again, pressing a little closer to him as he spread my cheeks apart, rubbing a finger over my entrance.

Like in the library, I wasn't ready for it even though I knew it was coming and I moaned loudly, jerking into him. He moaned and his hands disappeared all together. "Cassidy…" I mumbled, opening my eyes long enough to see him pulling the bottle I'd brought him open. He squirted some sort of creamy lotion onto his hands and rubbed it thoroughly into his fingers.

"Shush, baby, I'm getting there," he said quietly, his non-lotioned hand coming back up to hold my hip tightly. He dropped his hand between our bodies and slipped it between my thighs. His lips pressed into my hairline as his fingers began to rub against my entrance again, only cool and slicked this time. "Are you ready?" he mumbled into my now sweaty skin. Even though it was so cold at night, it felt like it was one-hundred forty degrees in here.

"Y-yes…" I whispered, my fingers threading into his hair. I needed something to hold onto. Keeping my arms wrapped around him just wasn't cutting it anymore.

"Alright, Hiei," he whispered. "I need you to relax, okay?" I nodded and I tried my damnedest to relax, but how could I? I felt like every last one of my nerve endings was on fire. Slowly, painfully slow, he started pushing a single digit up into me. I tightened around him instantly, pulling him deeper. He moaned, pressing his lips to mine again and he started pumping his finger in and out of me, just as slowly.

When he hit _that_ spot, I thought I was going to come just as quickly as I had in the library, but I didn't, thank Ra. I just cried into his lips, pushing down on his hand more. He took that as an invitation to add a second finger, which he used to pump into me and scissor me, like he was trying to loosen me up some. In fact, I was one-hundred percent sure that's what he was doing.

By the time he'd pushed a third finger into me, stretching me further, I was moaning and whining like a bitch in heat. My already painful erection was growing harder, if that was even physically possible. "Cassidy…" I whined, biting into his neck for a moment. "Please…" Cassidy punched into me, hitting that spot for the hundredth time and I cried out, arching up against him again. "_Please!_" I cried, nipping his neck again and again.

Pulling his fingers out, he moaned at each of my nips. He pushed me back just enough that we could look into one another's eyes. "Are you sure about this, Hiei? You know we don't have to do this today if you aren't ready. We can stop…" he whispered, but his flushed and angry erection, pressing against the inside of my upper thigh, was telling me the exact opposite. My own problem wasn't exactly helping either…

"I- I want you…" I whispered, my voice weak with pleasure. Cassidy's eyelids drooped a little and he leaned forward, pressing his lips to mine again. His hands gripped each of my hips tightly and he pulled me as close as I could be, the head of his member pressed flush against my entrance.

I shook a little and pulled on his hair as he broke the kiss. "Alright, baby, but I'm not going to lie. This will hurt… The best way to handle it is to stay relaxed," he whispered against my lips. I nodded a little. I had a rather high tolerance to pain. I could take this. I _needed_ to take him…

He kissed me again, pushing his hips up to meet mine. At the same time, he guided my hips down on him and, I won't lie, it hurt. A lot. It was possibly one of the most painful things I'd ever experienced in my life. I felt like I might rip into two halves and the stretching only got worse until he was completely shoved inside of me. It felt cramped and uncomfortable but at least he'd finished… I couldn't help but think how exactly, this was supposed to be pleasurable, but I had to trust Cassidy. I no longer held any playing cards.

His hands moved to my back, drawing smooth circles in my sweaty skin to relax me further and, after a while, it did work. I leaned against him, my chest pressed to his and my head resting on his shoulders. After several minutes, Cassidy began to rock his hips in and out of mine.

The first few thrusts hurt almost as badly as the original stretching, but after the fourth or fifth thrust, the pain was beginning to curl into a ball of tight, sinful pleasure at the base of my spine. The tears that had formed in my eyes quickly disappeared and soon I was meeting every one of Cassidy's thrusts half way, moaning quite loudly too. Cassidy moaned or growled at me, but I was too lost in my world of constant pleasure to really pay him much mind, other than the fact that he was the one fucking me. That he was the one who was taking my virginity and I'd _given_ it to him.

When Cassidy hit that spot, stars danced into my vision and I thought I might die from pleasure. I cried out, almost screaming in sinful bliss. Cassidy smirked at me. "Looks like I found it," he whispered into my ear, dipping his tongue along the shell.

I cried out loud at every thrust because now he was purposefully aiming for that spot. I was beginning to think that I wouldn't be able to handle anymore of this. "Cassidy…" I moaned. "Cassidy! AH!" I cried out, coming down on him again. "Please… I…" I bit my lip, itching to touch myself, but Cassidy beat me to that point. His hand wrapped tightly around my member, pumping me like he'd done in the library and I bucked into his touch, growling at him. "Cassidy!"

"Come on, Hiei," he whispered, nibbling my earlobe. "Fall apart baby, it's alright. I'm right here… I've got you and I won't let you go, I promise." His hand came down once more and his member pressed right up into that spot. I simply couldn't take it. I screamed into his neck, white flashing across my vision as I came, hot and hard all over Cassidy.

After that, I couldn't really hear much. I was only aware of Cassidy thrusting into me once more before warm gooeyness filled my insides. I gave off a hoarse cry, slumping against him because I couldn't even hold myself up anymore. His hands fell onto my back, rubbing circles into my skin again, as he pulled out of me, which just pulled another cry from my lips.

I heard him chuckle and he shifted, pulling me into his arms as he stood up and walked over to his bed. He laid me down and curled up next to me. "I love you," he whispered to me, pulling me tightly against him. I loosely wrapped my arms around his waist, my head resting against his shoulder.

"I love you too…" I whispered, my eyelids drooping in exhaustion. I couldn't even keep my eyes open and the only coherent thoughts running through my mind were that I'd just had sex with Cassidy, the first (and hopefully the only) person I had ever fallen in love with.

_And I definitely wasn't a virgin anymore… Oh Ra._


	44. It's Voodoo— You're Under His Spell

**Chapter Forty-Three: It's Voodoo— You're Under His Spell**

**Adam's POV**

It had been early afternoon when I awoke from my healing slumber. I was groggy and it was hard to see at first, but I could feel Drake sitting next to me. I could hear him talking to me, and when my focus cleared, he was the first person that I saw. My lover, my husband, crying for me and for the fact that I was awake.

I couldn't be sure, at first how long I had been awake. A few hours? A few days? Weeks? Or had I been like Tommy and been under for more? I knew that it had been a lengthy amount of time when I glanced to my left, seeing the blond looking healthy and refreshed next to me. I felt my heart stop at the sight of his beautiful brown eyes, glistening back at me in the light of the room, his smile stretching wider when I whispered his name, and he kissed my hand.

Tears had begun to fill my eyes when Drake's lips covered mine, his palm cupping my cheek so tenderly. I whimpered, letting my lips part to taste him. It shouldn't have been so strange that I missed the way he tasted so miserably, but it was. I could not have been out long, right? Apparently, though, it was long enough to make Drake fear that I would not wake at all.

Had I been like Tommy then? Had the poison I consumed been more affective that originally thought?

Drake told me he loved him, and I told him that I loved him back— it was true. It would always be true. I loved Drake more than anyone. More than Tommy, Cassidy, Alexander and, perhaps, even my own— though, deceased— family. I loved him and I wanted nothing more than for his happiness. And it was clear that his happiness was at my waking up. And I could only imagine that he had happiness when Tommy woke up.

But that had been yesterday. Yesterday afternoon; it felt like so long ago. Drake and Tommy had insisted that I stay in bed, at least, until dinner time, that way I could get my strength. Apparently, since the attempt on my life, the food for all the meals had been constantly checked to ensure that no one else was in any danger. And there had been no reports, so it was safe to assume that everything was clear and okay.

By the time the sun had begun to set, Drake came lumbering back to the chamber that I had been resting in. Servant boys had recently tended to me, making sure that I got to the bathroom safely to bathe and scrub away the illness I had endured. I was freshly cleaned with my hair hanging in thick waves, still drying, around my face. I was wearing a pair of white trousers with gold and ruby embroidery and a matching white shirt with a deep, ruby robe that hung off of my shoulders and came down to my thighs over everything.

I felt very regal— empowering, almost— and when Drake stepped into the room, his eyes widened softly before clouding with something sinfully familiar before flickering away, and he smiled at me, "You look beautiful," he whispered, coming to my side to stand on his toes and press a kiss to my lips.

I moaned quietly, pulling Drake closer by cupping his face in my hands, slipping my tongue into his mouth. Drake trembled lightly in my arms, wrapping his arms around my neck to glue himself to me, his fingers tangling into the hair on the back of my neck.

The sounds of wet pops, clicks, moans and shifts of clothing filled the room as I slid my palms under Drake's shirt, teasing his nipples and dragging my nails into his skin. He gasped softly, arching into me, tilting his head back. I took this as an offering to claim his neck like I always did. I leaned down, pressing, first, my lips to his skin, kissing and licking the spot that I desired most before baring my teeth, gently biting into the flesh.

Drake jerked up against me, moaning loudly, craning his neck to expose more of his beautiful skin. I sucked hard, tangling my fingers into his crimson hair, pulling sharp and hard. Drake jerked again, and I could feel his erection pressing to the inside of my thigh. Smirking softly, I pulled away from his neck, licking the mark sweetly.

"Aah—! Adam…" Drake groaned gently, pressing himself closer to me. I chuckled quietly, rubbing his cheeks with my thumbs before kissing him again.

"Come, love, let's go to dinner," I suggested, taking his hands in mine. Drake whined softly but obeyed as I pulled him through the door and down to the dining hall of the palace.

The walk, itself, was fairly short, considering we'd been in the room that I'd been taken to after being poisoned. And a man of my size was, no doubt, difficult to carry for long stretches of distance. Not that I mind, really. I was starving from not eating real sufficiently in the time that I'd been sleeping and the idea of submersing myself with those close to me was more appealing than I gave it credit for.

When Drake and I came to the doors of the dining hall, my heart was beating steadily in my chest and I was breathing just a little hard. Drake had one arm around my waist, his free palm pressed to the curve of my forearm as we walked. I could feel, just from his aura, that he was worried about me and the fact that I was having difficulty, but I tried to assure him that I was fine. I was just a little winded, and nothing more.

Pushing open the doors, Drake and I walked in, side by side, into the hall. Tommy and Alexander were seated closest to the head of the table and across from each other. Cassidy was seated beside Alexander's right hip, Hiei next to Cassidy. To Tommy's left were Drake's mother, Roza, and his four siblings, Eric, Amalia, Jonah and Hayden. I smiled warmly at them and they all— except for Tommy— showed expressions of shock and relief.

Alex bolted from his seat to come to my side, his eyes wide as he reached out to touch my cheek gently before wrapping his arms around me in a hug. I was startled at first, but I hugged him back, pressing my face into his shoulder for a moment before pulling away. Much to my surprise, Drake didn't even seem fazed by the moment. In fact, he looked content with it. Drake…?

"I'm so glad you're okay," Alex whispered, tears appearing to sting his eyes as he took a step back. He glanced, warily, at Drake for a moment, but my husband just shook his head and smiled as Cassidy came up beside us, palming my cheek tenderly for a moment before coming close, pressing a kiss to my cheek.

"I agree with Alex. It's nice to see you back on your feet and well," Cassidy muttered warmly to me, and I chuckled.

"It's nice to be up and about," I said, agreeing with his and Alex's remarks before taking my seat at the head of the table next to Drake.

The next morning I woke in the confines of my chambers with Drake curled close in my arms. His hair was tangled around his face, but he looked like an angel, and I smiled, pressing a kiss to his forehead. He sighed in his sleep but, otherwise, did not stir. Light poured in through the windows, soft and yellow in their glow. Rays touched along Drake's skin, illuminating him and making him appear so innocently sweet.

Smiling still, I pulled myself from the warmth and comfort of Drake's arms, slowly sliding from the bed. As much as I wanted to stay in his arms and continue to sleep, I still had a job to do as Pharaoh. I had to get back into the swing of work with Cassidy. There were a few matters still at hand in dealing with technology and funding, as well as finding a new adviser to serve beside Cassidy for me.

While Cassidy never complained about being my only adviser, I knew that the work load was, sometimes, too much for him. I saw it in his eyes, and I saw it, especially, last night; the exhaustion that lay within his irises and the slump to his shoulders. I saw the weight of the world resting on him and I felt my heart clench.

But that had not been the only thing that I had noticed about Cassidy. I kept catching moments where he would steal a look to Hiei before smiling warmly. Hiei, sometimes, would catch these looks and he would blush. Not to mention, Hiei's left hand and Cassidy's right were tucked beneath the table between them, and I had no doubt in my mind that their fingers were laced, palms pressed together.

Quickly, I dressed myself back into the trousers and the robe that I'd worn the night before, not bothering with sandals or a shirt as I made my way across the chamber in silence, so as not to disturb Drake while he slept. I crept to the door, pulling it open as quietly as I could manage before slipping out into the hallway, pulling the door shut again.

Turning on my heel, I made my way down the massiveness of the hall in the direction of Cassidy's chamber. Sure, it was early and I knew that he did not favor waking early, but we needed to get back to work in making Egypt a better, more economically stable place. We couldn't be lazy about it, and while we could not control the poisoning, we needed to make up the time we had lost.

I was certain that Drake had done well in my absence— Drake had told me that Cassidy had said they talked about Drake being Pharaoh and inheriting everything, including the palace, the fortune, my status as well as rights to any political, economic, and personal matters for the future. But, now that I was well enough to take back my position, I knew that he would feel relieved not to have the pressure of being Pharaoh on his back while worrying about me at the same time.

Turning down another hallway, I kept my pace brisk yet regulated for the fact that my immune system was, no doubt, still trying to clear out all of the poison. My breathing, thankfully, stayed normal and my heartbeat didn't increase as drastically as it had last night when Drake and I had walked to the dining hall. Which was strange, considering this was a much longer and more strenuous walk than that had been. But whatever.

In no time, though, I found myself standing in front of Cassidy's door. Inhaling deeply, I knocked gently on the wood of the door, waiting for a few moments. But there was no answer. Frowning, I reached up and knocked again, still gentle. And, still, there was nothing. Biting down on my lower lip, I debated between leaving to see if Cassidy was elsewhere and going inside, just to make sure.

I decided on the latter, and reached for the door handle, clicking the button and pushing it forward. And the sight to see was one that I had not expected, but all the same did not surprise me, either.

Cassidy was lying on his side, facing the door with his arms wrapped snuggly around that of a smaller boy— Hiei. Hiei was faced away from me with his face pressed into Cassidy's chest, his arms tucked around Cassidy's mid section. A thin blanket was draped over their lower hips, and I could only assume that they had committed a sensual act that, usually, only lovers performed, the night before.

I dropped my hand from the handle, mumbling Cassidy's name gently. The brunette shifted and his eyes opened slowly, first catching that of Hiei's sleeping form. He smiled before looking up to see me, and the smile vanished. His eyes widened and, at first, the color drained from his face. But it wasn't until I smirked at him that the color washed back in full, staining his face a brilliant red.

"My Pharaoh," Cassidy whispered and I beckoned him to follow me with a jerk of my head before turning away to let him get dressed. I heard Cassidy shifting behind me as I pulled the door shut gently, waiting out in the hallway.

After a few moments, the door swung open again and Cassidy stepped out to join me in the hallway. He was dressed in a pair of dark green trousers and a matching vest, his sandals strapped around his feet. His trousers were pulled and tucked up around his knees, exposing the lean muscles of his legs. I smirked at him, shaking my head as I turned to start walking back down the hallway. Cassidy fell in step beside me, silent for a moment.

"I apologize, My Pharaoh," he mumbled softly, and I frowned at him.

"Why are you apologizing, Cassidy?" I inquired, curious.

"I… I did not expect you so early… It was not my intention for you to see me a-and Hiei.. like that.." He said gently, blushing a deep red. I snorted, laughing softly.

"It's quite alright, Cassidy. I just.. I can't believe you actually fucked him. And did I not tell you, originally, when Hiei was first brought here to work that you could have him for your own, if you desired it?" I suggested, recalling the memory quite well. Cassidy's blush deepened incredibly and he looked away from me, muttering words that shook my soul.

"I love him," he said. I stopped in mid-step, turning to face him with the shock clear as day on my face.

"You do?" I asked, and he nodded once, "Does Hiei?" He smiled.

"Yes," he confirmed and I laughed aloud, embracing my friend tightly. After three years of heartache that he suffered from Brad's betrayal and execution, Cassidy had finally accepted love back into his heart.


	45. A Little Insight Will Make This Right

**Chapter Forty-Four: A Little Insight Will Make This Right  
Drake's POV**

It was almost strange to wake up and not have to do anything. When I realized Adam wasn't in bed with me, I thought that he hadn't woken up. I thought that I was still Pharaoh and I got up, dressing in something royal-looking (which also happened to be a little revealing…). Nothing too fancy, just tight, white shorts with gold and red detailing, a shear shirt with matching details and a red and gold shirt that hung down around my thighs, just a little shorter than my shorts, the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. And, of course, golden sandals strapped to my feet.

It wasn't until I was half way to the throne room that I remembered Adam was fine and that he was taking his place as Pharaoh back from me, thank Ra. I just couldn't deal with being in charge of an entire country. I felt like I was getting gray hair from the job, even though I really wasn't.

When I saw Adam doing Pharaoh type things with Cassidy and a few other people I couldn't really name, I decided to just take some time to myself. The past week I'd been doing way too much shit that I wasn't used to doing. I just wished Adam would have told me about his will before he… got sick. But now that Adam was okay and things were finally falling back to normal, I decided to just not worry about what his will said anymore. When Adam did pass away, when he was well into his years, hopefully he'd already have picked an heir or I'd be more prepared to take his place.

Tommy and Alexander had both told me how dreadful the gardens were beginning to look. I hadn't been out there since Adam got sick, so I decided to venture out there and see it I could help out the gardeners some. I was actually quite good at it, believe it or not. It fell under my range of art expertise, I supposed.

The garden wasn't dreadful at all though. In fact, it looked fresh and brand new. I could only guess that once Adam was awake, people started going back to their normal, everyday duties, including the gardeners. By the looks of things, they'd done a wonderful job in restoring the garden from its brief lapse of perfection. So much for my plans. Oh well, I could just enjoy some time to myself, I guessed.

I wandered through the gardens, from one side to the other, looking at all of the different types of plants, flowers and artwork that was set up throughout the greenery. It was all so beautiful and inspirational. An urge that I hadn't had in quite some time hit me like a freight train. A burning want to create hit me and the longer I looked around, the more that want grew into a need. Suddenly I was rushing towards the outer door to my studio so I could start on my newest, freshest idea.

But, of course, I didn't get very far before running into someone. Alexander to be exact. "Alex?" I asked, frowning a little. He looked up from an open book laying across his thighs. It looked more like a sketch pad than a reading book, but he didn't seem to be drawing anything. Or maybe he was trying to draw, but he wasn't really good at it, so it turned out to be crappy… I didn't really know and I didn't have many intentions of asking him about it. Our new found relationship was still in its beginning stages and I didn't want to risk that by insulting him, or something along those lines.

"Oh, hey Drake," he said, smiling warmly at me. "Enjoying your day as not being Pharaoh, I take it?"

"Well, yeah, it's a fantastic feeling," I said, walking over to him. "But we really need to stop meeting in the gardens like this, you know. People might start getting the wrong idea about exactly what kind of relationship we have." He laughed, rolling his eyes.

"I won't tell anyone if you won't," he laughed, patting the grass next to where he was sitting, leaning against a small fountain.

I sat down next to him, the urge to create still lingering, but fading just enough to let me talk to Alex without some sort of nervous twitch, or something. "What do you think my husband would say about that one, Alex?" I asked him, smirking a little, but what he said shut me up real fast.

"To be completely honest? It would probably just send blood rushing right to his dick. He'd be at a loss for words and it could be an extremely awkward situation for us both," he said, smirking back at me. I could feel a blush creeping up along my face, but I ignored it as much as I could manage. "So let's just keep it our little secret, alright?" He chuckled, leaning over a little to press a kiss into my cheek. "So what brings you out here, My King?"

"Wanted to get out of the palace. I thought I'd come out here to help the gardeners, but it looks like they already took care of everything. So I walked around for a while, just enjoying my time of nothing to do and then I got this urge to make something, so I was on my way to my studio, but then I ran into you, not literally this time, and I'm talking to you now. Fell honored that I'm wasting my time with you," I teased and he just laughed, handing his sketchbook to me and offering me a few pencils.

"I was trying to draw as amazingly as you can, but it wasn't really working out for me. I'm a horrible artist, but I'd love to see an artist's genius in motion," he said. I blinked, taking a few of the pencils from him and flipped to a fresh page. My hand began flying out across the sheet, creating what, at first, looked like nothing but quickly began growing into a garden scene with several couples huddles next to a fountain, the only light would have been the full moon. "Amazing…"

I glanced over at him, but the pencil was still etching what my hand desired. Most of the time, when I was painting or drawing or even sculpting, I didn't ever think about what I was doing. I just let go of myself and whatever came out usually looked more fantastic than I ever thought it would be able to. "What?" I asked, sticking my tongue out of the corner of my mouth. A bad habit for when I was making any type of art.

"You drew all of that in, like, ten minutes," Alex said, his eyes doing round as he studied the paper for a while. "It's mind blowing, really. Something you should be extremely proud of." I smiled sheepishly at him and set the pencils down.

"Thank you," I whispered, turning a little to face him. I handed his sketch book back to him and curled my legs underneath myself, propping one arm against the fountain for support. "So what are you really doing out here? Cause obviously you weren't drawing."

He sighed, looking over at me again. "I just came out here to try to clear my mind. After everything that happened with Adam and… I've just had a restless mind, I guess. I'm not really sure what it is, I've just been thinking about things I shouldn't lately," he explained and I felt my heart grow a little heavy. It was beating just a little too fast and I had a sudden urge to check my pulse. The last time the doctor had come to check on Tommy before he woke up, and to check on Adam, he told me to watch my anxiety, not that I actually told anyone that. When no one was looking, I tended to put two fingers to my neck, right below my jaw, to feel it my heart was beating too much.

"Is there… something you wanna talk about?" I asked him and he seemed to grow a little pale. He gnawed on his bottom lip and I was starting to worry that there was something really wrong.

He looked over at me after a heavy, brief, silence. "Actually yes, it's something that I think we should talk about, Drake," he said. There goes my heart.

"What is it?" I asked quietly, trying not to show my growing worry.

"Bradley," Alex replied, staring me in the eye. His bright blue eyes grew hard and serious. We weren't just joking around anymore, I realized.

Looking away from him, I began gnawing on my lower lip. "Adam's old adviser?" I asked, frowning a little. "Why do you want to talk about him?" I was definitely not prepared for what he told me.

"Because, Drake, you've opened up to Adam and Tommy about what he did to you, but they don't fully understand you. They never went through it and they don't know. For the most part, you've healed and that's fantastic, but his wounds still remain," he said quietly and he reached out to cup my cheek, turning my head back to face him. "But I know exactly what it feels like. I know all about it and I haven't healed either…"

"B-Brad… raped you?" I whispered quietly, my lower lip quivering lightly. It had been such a long time since I'd ever talked about what Brad had done to me, three years ago. I don't even believe I've used the word "rape" since the night I told Adam everything.

Alex wrapped an arm around my waist and he pulled me close to him, like he was my older brother and not my husband's first lover. "He did a lot of things to me, Drake…" Alex whispered and I could hear the underlying fear in his tone. Even though Brad was executed, the fear he put into our souls obviously remained. "Rape, kidnap…"

"What happened?" I asked, looking up at him with eyes that I was sure reflected his own fears. "What did he do to you?"

"He was the reason Adam thought I died. He drugged me… For starters," he began. "It slowed my heartbeat enough to make it appear that I had died and when I was taken to be mummified… Brad took me. He locked me in this house on the outskirts of the market place." I gasped on instinct, my muscles going tense, like I was waiting for some form of assault. "What's wrong?"

"He took me there…" I told him, squeezing my eyes shut. "He took me from the market place, when I was shopping with Tommy, and he…" I shook my head, my overly active imagination painting a perfect replica of Brad forcing me to my knees for him behind my eyelids.

I didn't realize I was crying until Alex began stroking my tears away gently. "He raped you there, didn't he?" he asked quietly and I just nodded, laying my head against his shoulder. "He raped me there too…" he whispered. "He kept me locked up in that building for a long while, so I was there when he desired me, but I was out of the way when he needed to keep his perfect adviser to the Pharaoh and lover to Cassidy charade going."

"So he, what, kept you there to be his…" I started to ask but I stopped when he nodded.

"Sex slave. Yes, only he treated me like I wasn't a person. I always hated when he touched me. I hated that he forced me to have sex with him just because he had a craving to have sex and I hated that he got my body to react in ways I didn't want it to. I hated the fact that I reacted, physically, like I loved what he was doing to me when, in reality, I hated every minute of it," he told me.

I completely understood that feeling. When Brad got me to come for him, I felt vile and disgusted with myself. I felt like I was the whore he always told me I was and it made me wish I didn't exist at all. "Why did he poison you in the first place?" I whispered, shaking lightly. "What would he gain from that? Adam not being able to do his Pharaoh duties?"

"That's exactly what he wanted. The sex was just a bonus, I guess. But his plan didn't really work… Though, he made sure that I knew, every single time he saw me, that Adam didn't love me anymore. That he didn't want me and that, even if he did, he would never be able to help me. He wouldn't be able to save me or protect me…" Alexander pulled away from me and stood up slowly. He pulled the hem of his shorts down enough to reveal most of his hip.

There was a patch that looked discolored and a little marred. It didn't match the rest of his flawless skin and I stared at what I was sure were scars. If I wasn't mistaken, the marks were even indented a little. "He took that fucking knife he always carried around with him, and he carved out the "lover" tattoos that Adam had given to me," he said, tears forming in his ocean eyes. I couldn't imagine how painful a memory of that was, but it made so much sense to me now. That was the one thing that I never noticed I had that he didn't…

"Oh Ra…" I mumbled, my stomach flipping over a few times. "That's… That's so horrible…" He sat down again and I laced my arms around him, putting my head back down on his shoulder. "Why didn't you come back, Alex?"

He put his arms back around me and he rested his head atop mine. "By the time I managed to get away from Brad, he'd drilled into my head that Adam didn't care that I was gone. I didn't entirely believe it, but when I went back to the palace, I saw Adam with Tommy and I automatically assumed that Tommy was his new lover and if he was happy with Tommy, I had no right to step back into his life. When you showed up, I wasn't sure what to think, but I'd been gone for so long, I couldn't justify coming back…"

"I'm so sorry, Alex…" I whispered without really thinking about it. I felt bad, because he was ripped away from his life with Adam and it wasn't his fault. I felt that, if I was any form of decent, I would have done something for him, like release Adam from his marriage to me, but how could I really do that? I mean, Alex's happiness was important, sure, but wasn't mine also important? Not to mention all of Adam's swearing that he loved me and no one else. "I really am…"

"No, don't be. You've made Adam extremely happy and that's, really, all I could ever ask for. Plus, I've grown kind of attached to you, even if you did hate me for several weeks," he said with a weak chuckle. I smiled weakly but the lingering thoughts of Brad made it really hard to be anything but depressed or terrified.

A thick, heavy silence fell between us for a while but it wasn't awkward or uncomfortable. We merely just sat there, holding one another for a while, but I knew Alex opened up to me so I would feel comfortable opening up to him too. Compared to the abuse he took, which seemed to last for a long period of time, my own suffering seemed miniscule. I felt like I didn't really have much room to complain after hearing what Alex had to say.

But I knew, if we were ever going to have a successful friendship, it had to be both ways and that needed to start now.

"Brad didn't hurt me for very long…" I told him after a while. "But the few weeks it spread out over felt like an eternity… He raped me twice, once in the library, in front of that statue Adam built for you…" I felt him tense a little and I wondered if it was because he felt like he might have let it happen to me or because he already knew that? But how would he know that? "And once in the building he kept you locked up in."

His arms tightened around me and he turned his nose into my hair. Hopefully I still smelled like a person who bathed daily. I did take a bath with Adam the night before… But I couldn't honestly say our main goal was to get clean. "Did you tell Adam?" he asked.

"Not at first… Brad said he would kill my family and I believed him. I was barely eighteen at the time and hadn't really been away from home until Adam's guards took me away. I didn't know too much about the world other than what I had learned from my parents, which wasn't much more the lower class living. Brad terrified me and then he threatened to hurt Tommy too. I felt that I couldn't put other people's lives in danger for the sake of myself being spared. That wasn't fair to anyone else," I explained, thinking about the two nights Brad had raped me. Maybe it wasn't as often as Alex's abuse, and it didn't last nearly as long, but those incidents would haunt me for the rest of my life…

"What made you tell him?" he asked, pulling back just enough to look me in the eye.

I sighed and I scooted away from Alex. A frown stretched across his lips but I merely shook my head and took my over-shirt and shear shirt off to show him the scars on my back, over the first tattoo Adam had given me. "Brad cut me during both of the rapes, like he got off on see my blood and knowing he caused it…" I told him. Alex touched the scars gently and I shivered. "These were hard enough to hide from Adam, but during the second rape, Brad cut my thighs pretty badly and, that night, Adam had requested Tommy and I in his chambers… It didn't take long for him to find those cuts." Alex's fingers traced over the scars gently for a few minutes before he pulled me back into a hug. "I tried to lie, but the distressed look on his face when I refused to talk to him… Well, I was helplessly in love with him and disappointing him hurt too much. I told him everything and that night Brad was sentenced to execution by Adam…"

"And that was that?" he asked and I sighed. I only wished that was that.

"No, that would have made life too easy. The next evening, I found my little sister dead in my bed," I told him. "Her back was cut to ribbons and she was strangled… Someone, who we never did find, killed her because Brad told him to…" Alex gasped, shaking his head.

"Ra… that's terrible…" he mumbled and I just shook my head, fresh tears bubbling up into my eyes.

"I always promised to take care of her. My father died while my mother was still pregnant with Anna. She… thought I was her Daddy. She always called me Daddy. I don't think she ever really knew that I was her father and I've been blamed for her death so many times. I blame myself for her death all the time…" I whispered, gripping Alex's shirt like I had the night he forced me to hug him, the night Adam had been poisoned.

He rubbed my back gently, trying to calm me. After so many people had done this for me, Adam, Tommy and even Cassidy and Hiei, it was like an instant relaxer. "You know Anna's death wasn't your fault, Drake. It was Brad's," he whispered, one of his hands coming up to brush my tears away.

"I… I know, but when you hear it and think it so many times, it's hard to believe that it isn't the truth…" I mumbled into his chest and he started stroking my hair.

He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Shhh, it's okay, Drake, it's alright," he whispered, petting my hair gently. I imagined his was just as soft and, when I looked up at him, I could see he was crying too. "Did anything else happen?"

"Well, yes… but it was mostly my own stupidity. The night before his execution, I went to see him, feeling like I needed some sort of closure. He… told me all about you, something that Adam never bothered to tell me about. He said I was nothing but your perfect replica and that Adam didn't love me. Since Adam hid you from me, I believed it, like an idiot, and I let my heartache and anger get the best of me," I told him. "I tore apart the library- and your statue- because I was angry at Adam. I wanted to hate him for using me like that, but I couldn't really hate him at all… So I ran away. I was gone for almost a week and I was almost raped, again. I would have been if Adam didn't show up in time to stop that man…" I mumbled into his shirt, gripping it tightly. I didn't really notice much in the past, but I got a lot of unwanted attention. Even before I was brought to the palace to be Adam's pleasure servant, I got the attention, I just didn't notice it before…

"Unfortunately that tends to happen to beautiful people, male or female," he whispered and he lifted my chin up to look at him. "But don't you feel better talking about all that? And to someone who actually knows what it feels like?" he asked, a gentle smile tugging at his lips. I blinked away a few more tears and I nodded, smiling back at him.

"Yeah… It does feel… really good, actually. Despite the fact that I'm ruining my make-up," I said, laughing softly.

He brushed the last clinging tears away from my cheeks. "You're beautiful enough without it, you know," he said and I blushed, glancing away from him, only to meet the bright blue eyes of our laughing Pharaoh.

"You hated him two weeks ago and now I find you two like this in the gardens?" Adam asked, kneeling down in front of us. "Is there something I should know about, because it looks like something I should definitely be involved with." I knew he was teasing but I blushed and hit him playfully anyway.

"Shut up, Adam, you're so disgusting," I said and he just laughed, taking my face in his hands and kissing me gently.

"Yes well, you fell in love with me anyway," he said. "Now come along, it's time for dinner. You can always pick up where you left off afterwards… As long as I get to watch," he said and he winked, smirking at the two of us. We both went a beat red color as we got up. I quickly pulled my shirts back on, embarrassed the entire time.

"You know I wouldn't do anything with your lover like that, not behind your back, anyway. Drake and I were just talking," Alex said in our defense and Adam just smirked again.

"It's be hot if you did do something. Like I said, I just want to watch," he teased, but I had a bad feeling that he actually would get massively turned on if he watched Alex and I going at it…


	46. Welcome To My Silly Life

**Chapter Forty-Five: Welcome To My Silly Life**

**Tommy's POV**

Despite all of the misfortune that had fluttered about the palace, it seemed that the rugs of illness were being beaten clean when Adam had finally come to from his slumber. I had thought, at the time, that Drake had been ecstatic to see me wake, but I'd never seen him so lively and free as to when Adam woke. Never had I seen such happiness in his eyes.

To be honest, I had been jealous of that moment. That moment where Drake's eyes widened in surprise and he clung to Adam for dear life, watching his lover wake from a still sleep. But I couldn't have been jealous for long, for when Adam had turned his weary eyes upon me, his face softening with happiness and love, I felt my heart melt. I felt thankful for the Gods for bringing my best friend back, and I could not be jealous of Drake's happiness over Adam.

But that had been a week ago or so. Since then, things had gotten better. Apparently Cassidy and some servant, Hiei, had gotten closer in the time that I and Adam had been asleep— and, according to Adam, they had even gotten it on once or twice. It wasn't really my place to get involved in his love life, but I thought it was rather sweet that Cassidy had found love in someone again.

Sighing softly, I curled closer on the chair I was sitting in, tuning my guitar lazily before plucking a few chords to a random song. It seemed everyone was finding love these days. In midst of all of the fever bringing people down into illness, apparently there was another fever going around… Chuckling softly to myself, I shook my head, strumming my guitar with my eyes slipped shut in peace.

Passions for people aside, guitar was a true love for me. Whenever I was in a bad mood as a child, my father would sit me down with a guitar and have me learn a new chord or a new riff to clear my head. And as I got older those chords and riffs became songs that he would have me play or that I would play on my own to get my mind off of the things that were bothering me. I wish, though, that I was so fortunate today as I had been in my youth.

But it was there, nagging in the back of my skull as I strummed a little harder, squeezing my eyes shut a little together. The thick haze of love that hung in the air of the palace, it was almost overbearing sometimes. Perhaps I was jealous of it all, having no true love to myself— considering Drake was Adam's husband— and that could have been all together possible..

Still, though, people had been finding love everywhere. For fuck's sake, Cassidy found it in a servant! And I still had mine in Drake… Who belonged to Adam just as much as Adam belonged to him. Was it so hard for the Gods to grant me some sort of solitude in having my own love? One that I didn't have to share… One that—

"Tommy?" I gasped, jumping in my seat and clinging tightly to my guitar before looking over to see who had disturbed me in the quiet of the library. My heart, which had been going a mile a minute at the sound of his voice, didn't slow any when I realized that Alex was standing a mere ten feet away from me with a few books in his arms, his eyes glinting brightly with laughter.

"Oh— Alex, hi.." I mumbled, gingerly setting my guitar aside so as to lessen the risk of potentially breaking it. Alex chuckled, shaking his head for a moment, a smile plucking at his lips.

"I apologize, I did not mean to startle you," Alex commented, setting his books down on a small side table next to the chair that I was sitting in. I inhaled slowly, shaking my head and waving him off, but my heart was still going frantic.

"It's alright. I just… I didn't hear you come in," I told him, blushing faintly. Alex smiled warmly at me, taking a seat in the chair beside me, facing me.

"You play beautifully, by the way," he admitted and I blushed, smirking over at him. It was his turn to blush, and he looked away, "I… I was gathering some books that I wanted to read and I heard you. So I decided to come listen to you play.. I— I apologize if I disturbed you at all," he said bashfully and I chuckled, shaking my head a little bit.

"It's quite alright, Alex. I was… I was just trying to clear my head," I told him, letting out a long breath, silently thanking the Gods that my heart rate was beginning to flutter down to a normal speed. If only it would stay like this, though…

"Clear it of what, if you don't mind my asking?" The brunette inquired and I glanced at him, seeing so much of Drake in him that it, truly, wasn't even funny. Was this how Adam felt every time he saw Drake? Knowing that he was staring at a beautiful young man and only seeing his old, thought-to-be-deceased lover in him? But maybe I was just fucked up, seeing the Pharaoh's husband in this man— Pharaoh's first lover…

I bit down on my bottom lip, breathing slowly, "Just… things," I said simply, not sure that I really wanted to go into the elaborate details of my envy of the romance in the palace. "Trivial things, really," I added before he could open his mouth, and Alex chuckled softly.

"I see. So what are you doing here, alone, then? Surely there are other places to play your guitar?" He suggested before his face paled some, "Not that I'm saying you _shouldn't_ play here, no, I just mean… Why here?" I smiled softly, running fingers through my hair.

"It was quiet. And open," I explained, glancing around at the vastness of the library. "Everywhere else there are people running around and taking care of chores. My room felt too closed in and…" I trailed off, thinking of the mural on my wall before letting out a breath, "and I just needed some open air without wandering too far around, you know?" I admitted, and Alex nodded once with a gentle smile.

"I understand completely.. Lately, since Adam woke up, things have been so quiet for me. I, truly, don't know what to do with myself anymore." he commented, staring off into space for a moment. I nodded once, glancing down over at my guitar. I understood that completely, too. Since Adam woke, I got less and less a chance to spend time with Drake. Cassidy was usually off with Hiei or he was helping Adam with Pharaoh duties and, in truth, I only saw Alex on occasion, like this.

But a thought came to mind in the silence of the library, and I lifted my head, turning my attention back to where Alex was sitting, beside me. "Alex?" I said after a moment and he turned back to me.

"Yes?"

"You're into the politics and the business of things, yes?" I muttered and Alex frowned for a moment before he nodded once.

"Yes, I am. Why do you ask?" He questioned with a chuckle and I smiled.

"Why don't you talk to Adam being his adviser, with Cassidy? I'm sure the three of you could be well onto your way to fix up Egypt in no time, right?" I suggested, and Alex's eyes went wide with shock, almost like the idea of being Adam's second adviser was an unheard of notion.

"Why would I be his adviser? Surely there are others more fit for—" Alex began, but I cut him off.

"Alex, if there was someone more fit for the job, it would have been filled a long time ago, don't you think? Besides, you know Adam. You know what he wants for Egypt and what he wants to make right. You're incredibly smart and attentive with the technical matters of business. You would be a perfect fit. Besides, I'm sure Cassidy could use the help since… Since Brad's position was opened," I explained, being as light with my words as possible. I knew the subject of that monster was a tender subject, and I didn't wish to dwell too long upon it if it made Alex uncomfortable. Ra, it made me uncomfortable enough, and I hadn't been hurt like Alex or Drake had.

Alex looked away for a brief few minutes, as if contemplating being an adviser. Personally, I thought I was right. He was perfect for the job. He wanted something to keep him busy? This was the best opportunity. Not to mention, it would keep him close to Adam without being too personal.

"I guess… It wouldn't be too bad for me to ask, right? I mean… I know Adam, probably, won't object to the idea, but what if I'm not really cut out for it?" He said softly, the concern swirling in his ocean blue eyes. I smiled faintly at him, turning in my chair to face him before reaching out, taking his hand in mine for a second.

"You'll do fine. These types of things come naturally to you, from what Adam has told me. It's as easy to you as it's easy for Drake to be an artist. Besides, if you mess up, it's not like Adam's going to chastise you eternally for it. He'll tell you that you'll get it the next time," I told him, and Alex smiled warmly at me, squeezing my hand in his. My heart did a flip before diving down into my stomach and I blushed softly, pulling my hand away. For a brief moment, I thought I saw a look of disappointment wash through Alex's eyes, but it was gone as quickly as I had thought I had seen it.

"Thank you, Tommy," he said gently and I laughed quietly, nodding my head once.

"It's not a problem, Alex. I think a little bit of work might do you some good, too. Get your mind off of things. Maybe you'll stop flirting with Drake," I teased and Alex's face went scarlet for a moment.

"I have _not _been flirting with him!" He exclaimed and I threw my head back to laugh aloud.

"That's not what Adam told me. Didn't he find you two cuddled up together in the gardens just the other day?" I remarked and, if it was possible, Alex's face went even more red before he buried his head into the arm of the chair. I cooed softly at him, sliding from my chair before kneeling in front of his, reaching up to run my fingers through his hair. He turned slowly to face me, his hair curtained around his face perfectly.

I smiled, "You know, when you're curled up like this, it's hard to believe you're older than me," I told him and he rolled his eyes, shoving me away, playfully. I fell back onto my elbows, laughing softly as he sat up straight.

"Oh hush, Thomas," I frowned softly.

"Don't call me Thomas, Alexander!" I whined and he laughed.

"Don't call me Alexander! And don't ever tease me like that again," he retorted, nudging my side with his foot. I jerked and squeaked, laughing softly as I curled away from his foot. Alex's eyebrow rose into such a perfect arch I wondered if Drake had come in and sketched it onto his face.

"Ticklish much, Thomas?" He suggested, nudging at me again. I whined, my face going red from the sensitivity of the spot as well as being called Thomas again.

"Don't call me Thomas!" I hissed playfully and Alex just smirked, sliding from his chair to join me on the floor, his fingers flying along my sides.

"I'll stop calling you Thomas after you've learned your place," he joked, tickling me mercilessly until we were red faced and out of breath from laughing so hard.


	47. Feel The Heat Forever

**Chapter Forty-Six: Come and Feel the Heat Forever, Then Forever  
Adam's POV**

"Drake!" I called from the other side of the hall. Drake was about to walk into the dining hall for dinner, but I really wasn't feeling up to sitting through three courses when all I truly wanted to do was spend time with my husband. Since I woke up, Drake was quick to give me my position back and that had kept me pretty busy. When I actually was alone with Drake, I was too exhausted to do anything more than cuddle with him.

The fake-ginger turned to face me, startled bright blue eyes staring at me. "Oh… Oh, hi, Adam," he said, walking up to me once the shock had worn from his eyes. He had a little bit of yellow paint on his face and arm, which lead me to believe he had been locked in his studio all day. "What's wrong? Aren't you coming to dinner?" he asked, stopping in front of me and looking up into my face.

I smiled, shaking my head and looping my arm with his. "And neither are you," I told him. He frowned a little, staring up at me with a confused look on his face, but I just chuckled and kissed him gently. There was a sinful glint in my eye, I was sure. I couldn't really remember the last time I'd made love with Drake, but it had been far too long for my liking.

"Adam…" he mumbled but when his eyes met mine again his face flushed to almost perfectly match his hair.

"Spend the evening with me, without everyone else," I mumbled and buried my face into his hair, kissing his head gently. He smelled like vanilla and fresh paint, pretty usual for Drake, but it had been a while since he'd painted anything, so the old, familiar scent was comforting. Maybe things would finally start to settle… Though, the doctor did tell me about Drake's anxiety, and that worried me deeply. I wanted to make sure I did everything to make him feel like he used to, relaxed and at home.

His new found relationship with Alex left me a little confused as well. I mean, I found them cuddling in the gardens, when, nine days ago, Drake was ready to rip Alex's throat out himself. But figuring all their relationship dynamics out could wait until later. I was almost desperate to hold and touch Drake again. It was driving me crazy not being able to.

"Alright," he said, smiling softly. I kissed him gently and pulled him out of the corridor, before someone came across our path and pulled us into the dining hall for the next hour and a half. We didn't believe in fast meals here in the palace.

Instead of leading him back to our bedroom, I took him out into the gardens. We went towards the back corner of the massive garden, someplace that would be private for us. It was a beautiful day and we really shouldn't be wasting it by locking ourselves up in the palace. I wasn't too concerned about anyone being outside. They were all trying to finish their chores so they could go enjoy their own dinners. Most people didn't venture into the gardens in the evening. We should be left alone, for the most part.

I picked a scene that was pretty similar to Anna's fountain. There was a small fountain in the center of some tall shrubbery. It was mostly cut off from the rest of the garden, creating some natural privacy for us. I still wasn't too worried about someone finding us, but the cushion of comfort was nice to have, to say the least.

"Adam… Don't you think this is… a little public?" Drake asked me, sitting down on the edge of the fountain. I knelt down in front of him, smiling a little.

"Not at all," I told him. I pushed his knees apart so I could slip between his thighs, bringing me right up against him. "Nobody will come out here. Not during this hour, anyway. We'll be fine," I mumbled and I took his cheeks into my hands, kissing him gently on the lips. He moaned, his legs wrapping around my midsection and his fingers tangling into my hair.

Today he wasn't really wearing anything fancy or royal. He was wearing a pair of shorts that matched what he used to wear as my pleasure servant, only they weren't nearly as tight. I imagined they were a lot more comfortable than what I used to make him wear. His shirt was white and shear. You could see straight through it, but if he didn't have such dark tattoos, it probably wouldn't have been as much of a contrast. It hung off his shoulders, leaving them- and his neck- completely exposed and ready to be marked. It was like he was begging me to mark him.

Don't get me wrong, I think Drake looked fantastic in all the elaborate clothing he got to wear as the Pharaoh's husband, but sometimes I really missed when he looked so simple, because then his natural beauty was just so much more prominent.

Pulling away from his lips, I pressed light, barely there kisses into his jaw and neck. He moaned quietly, whining in my ear. "Adam…" I smirked into his skin.

"What, boo?" I mumbled back, pulling away to look him in the eye. They were glazed over with a very familiar desire, a very sinful one at that: Lust. My heart melted at the sight and my already half hard on was completely filled out.

"Please, Adam? I…" he blushed again, biting his lip. Ra, he was so adorable. Even though we have had sex countless times, he was still bashful and shy about the subject. He never truly failed to amaze me. He was so perfect. "Fuck, I miss you…" he mumbled after a moment.

I pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. "Don't worry about it, baby," I whispered against his lips. "I'll make it all up to you, I promise." I could feel his skin getting hot beneath my touch, but if that was because of blushing or because of sexual excitement, I wasn't really sure. It was probably a combination of them both…

"I'm counting on it…" he mumbled, tugging gently on my hair and kissing me again. I moaned and he took that opportunity to shove his tongue into my mouth. Oh Ra, he was feeling a little feisty today… Then he definitely wasn't going to be happy with what I had planned for him. He'd want rough and fast paced, but he wasn't going to get it. Not tonight, anyway.

Regardless, I sucked on his tongue. He moaned into my mouth and I could feel his erection pressing into my stomach. I mentally smirked, because it really didn't take much to get turned on, but this? This might have been a record. Eventually I forced his tongue back into his mouth with my own and I pulled away from the kiss. He whined his protests, but I hushed him and slipped my hands under his shirt.

"Relax baby," I whispered, pushing the light fabric up his torso, revealing beautiful- but not obnoxious- abs and a just as finely toned chest. His nipples were bubbled up into half hardness, like they were teasing me… Fuck. "I'm going to take good care of you today, alright?"

He whined again, his eyes a little wide after I tugged his shirt over his head, making his hair poof out a little. "Last time you said that to me, I almost died by how slow you were going," he said, a little bit of fear flashing through his arousal. "You're going to do that to me again, aren't you? You're going to drive me crazy tonight, aren't you?" he asked, swallowing as I tossed his shirt off to the side. I really didn't even see where it landed. Nor did I care.

"I suppose you're just going to have to take whatever I give you, huh?" I mused, reaching down to nudge him through his shorts. He gasped, his jaw falling open and his hips pushing up into my hand.

"Fuck you…" he growled at me as I started to unfasten his shorts. I couldn't really help the laugh that escaped my lips.

"Fuck me? No, no, Baby, you've got that a little backwards. It's more like fuck you," I whispered, pressing a few gentle kisses to the side of his neck. He lifted his hips from the fountain's edge so I could tug his shorts off. They were a lot easier to get off that his pleasure servant shorts used to be, that was for sure.

"You're an ass," he mumbled, and I had to swallow my laughter. He was just too perfect…

"Yes, well, you love me anyway," I mumbled into his ear before I hooked my teeth onto the lobe, nibbling and sucking on it. Drake moaned a little too loudly. He must have been missing being touched, because he was a little over sensitive tonight.

"You know I love you, you big jerk," he said, pulling his ear away from my mouth. He tried to push me back a little, but I didn't budge. Instead, I wrapped my arms around his hips and pulled him off of the fountain edge, laying him down in the grass next to the water feature instead. He stared up at me with wide, lust-filled eyes. "Adam…" he mumbled, letting his eyes fall closed for a moment. Ecstasy was already written all over his face and I hardly touched him at all. "You know I hate when you strip me and refuse to get naked yourself…"

"Oh?" I asked, quite amused. "And what exactly are you going to do about it, Drake?" He opened his eyes again and he growled at me, sitting up on his elbows.

"Strip, or I won't have sex with you at all," he said. What a total bluff. He was just as desperate as I was.

"I don't really think that will work out for you, baby," I whispered, nudging between his legs. He gasped, arching off of the grass for a moment. "Any more empty threats?"

"It's not _empty_!" he exclaimed. "I can have an orgasm without you!"

"Yes, that's true, but I do not really believe your orgasm would be nearly as great without me…" I mused, bending down to kiss him again. To humor him, I tugged my shirt off, throwing it off to the side somewhere.

"You're sure full of yourself," Drake mumbled, sitting up enough to tug my trousers down. I shimmied out of the loose fitting material without too much issue and Drake instantly wrapped his legs around my waist, pulling me close enough to grind right up against his ass. "It's kind of a huge turn on, really…" he admitted, smirking up at me.

"With the looks of pure ecstasy you give me? I think I have a reason to be so full of myself," I retorted, smirking down at his blushing face. I kissed him gently again, licking his cheek gently and grinding into his hips. He gasped, squeezing his eyes shut.

He opened his mouth, probably to plead with me. I could already tell how much he wanted me, but we hadn't really done this is a while, so I didn't want to push too far with him. I'd at least open him up a little first, so, before he was able to get a word out, I slipped two of my fingers into his mouth. His eyes fluttered open for just a minute before he sucked on them, slipping his tongue around and between them, slicking them up with his saliva.

After a moment, I pulled them out and slipped my hand between out bodied and between his thighs. "Adam…" he whimpered, arching as I ran the two fingers against his entrance. A loud whine fell off of his lips and I just smiled at him, tracing his entrance teasingly for a few moments. "P-please…" His voice was already dripping with heated want and his eyes reflected that need. I couldn't really deny him of what he wanted, so I slipped the two fingers into him, scissoring him and stretching him out. He was tight, tighter than usual. I would even go as far as to say that this was something like how he felt when he was a virgin. The thought of fucking such a tight hole sent more blood rushing down to my already-flushed-and-angry erection and I wanted to just get into him, but he was too tight to just slam into.

On normal occasions, Drake was tight, but not tight enough to make me worry about hurting him. Not having sex for so long had left him rather tight and I was a little worried. Maybe I should have grabbed the lube before bringing him out here. I knew he didn't have the ability to be patient enough for me to go get it, and really, I don't think I could have left him at the moment. We'd just have to make do with what we had.

"Adam…" Drake mumbled as I slipped in a third and fourth finger, practically fisting him. "Adam, please!" He cried, tugging on my hair sharply. I moaned, biting down into his neck to make what I was sure would be an instant hickey. I punched into him, pulling a strangled cry from his lips. I was sure I'd hit that spot that drove him crazy and I pulled my fingers, out, unable to really wait anymore.

I spit into my hand a few times, slicking my member up as much as I possibly could without any real lube. Drake was whining, shaking with pleasure and watching him for too long made me feel like I was going to come undone just from how beautiful his face was.

"Adam!" he cried. "Please stop worrying about hurting me!" Drake was young and he didn't like waiting, which didn't really bother me at all. Our rough and quick paced sex scenes were always amazing, but teasing the fuck out of him was also great. Tonight, I was deciding on the latter. Drake wouldn't like me being so slow and gentle with him, because he was in the mood for me to fuck his brains out, but I wanted tonight to be a little more special than that. He may curse at me right now, but he would be thanking me by the end of the night, I was sure.

"Alright, baby," I whispered, pressing my lips to his. I took his hips into my hands and lined myself up with his entrance, sliding into him teasingly. His legs tightened around my waist, trying to pull me deeper, but I only allowed myself to slip in an inch and a half or so. He whined loudly and I hushed him with another kiss.

This was something I'd never really done with Drake, but I used to do it to Tommy all the time. Shallow thrusting, barely an inch or two in. I obviously wasn't hitting that pleasure spot, but the shallow teasing was always enough to drive Tommy wild. I wanted to do the same for Drake, but Drake was one to give me a hard time about it, so I made sure to keep my lips pressed firmly to his so he wouldn't be able to protest me much.

After four or five shallow thrusts, Drake was moaning and panting into my mouth. The noises he was making were some of the filthiest I'd heard in a long time, but it made it hard for me not to just slam into him, drilling him over and over. I wasn't going to fuck his brains out, not tonight. Maybe tomorrow night, but not tonight. Definitely not tonight.

Drake tugged on my hair, breaking out kiss. "Adam! Adam, _please_!" he cried, but I merely smiled and reached up to my hand, untangling Drake's fingers from the dark locks. I laced our fingers together and laid both of Drake's hands next to his head, our palms pressed flat against one another.

"Just relax, boo, please. Let me take care of you," I whispered, kissing him gently. He whined as I gave him a few more shallow thrusts, pulling a soft cry from his lips each and every time. When I finally did slip all the way into him, Drake's eyes went wide and he practically screamed in ecstasy. His legs remained tight around my midsections, crying out of every slow, hard thrust I offered him. This wasn't rushed, no, it was slow and it was passionate, but it was also _hard_, which was something we both enjoyed. I used to try to be gentle with Drake, but he was just such a dirty fucker, it was hard to control myself with him. It was extremely hard to believe that three years ago Drake had never so much as kissed another person.

Drake squeezed my hands hard and he rocked his hips up against mine. I knew he was close. He was dangerously close, and when I hit that spot and the right angle, he did scream. His eyes were screwed shut in ecstasy and I knew he was going to come without me even touching him. I was close to my own undoing, as well.

"Adam… Fuck! Adam, I'm… Ra! I'm going to- I can't- I… AdAHH!" he cried as I drilled into that spot again. It only took another stab to that sweet spot for Drake to arch as deeply as he possibly could. He came, hot and hard all over our stomachs and chests. A little even flew up to hit him on the face and hair. I couldn't remember the last time Drake came quite so hard. He may not have liked the slow pace very much because he liked it fast and rough, but going slow with him always gave him a bigger- and longer- orgasm.

Just watching his face contort into pure pleasure was enough for me. I didn't even thrust into him again, I just came, buried deeply inside of him. Drake's eyes went wide for a moment before he slumped back into the grass, exhaustion setting in. "Ra, I love you…" he whined, still holding my hands tightly. "I love you…" he whined again.

"I love you too, Boo," I said tiredly, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. I didn't even bother pulling out him before I collapsed on top of him.


	48. From Your Lips, He Drew The Hallelujah

**Chapter Forty-Seven: And From Your Lips, He Drew The "Hallelujah"…**

**Alexander's POV**

Eyes fluttering open, I stared up at the high-vaulted ceiling of my room, the morning sunlight washing through the open window on the eastern wall and casting a warm glow across the sea of furniture and architecture. The fair and few shadows that lingered were soft in their ambience and I yawned softly, stretching my arms above my head before letting them rest against my pillow. Part of me didn't feel like getting out of bed, but at the same time I knew I couldn't stay in all day.

Despite wanting to stay in bed, I was well rested and satisfied with the sleep I had gotten the night before. I had gone to bed shortly after dinner, knowing full and well that by the absence of the Pharaoh and his Husband that they were off with their own private duties, no doubt. I had no reason to question or envy their actions, but that didn't mean I had no right to be curious on my own terms, right? Wasn't everyone curious at some point or another?

I tried not to let it dwell too heavily upon me while I tried to sleep, but it was inevitable. I'd dreamt, quite vividly, that I was a bystander looking upon Adam and Drake making such sweet love.. The kind of love Adam used to make to me when we had been in love, years ago. I was watching from the wings, almost, as my once-lover made the young man writhe in ecstasy before Adam looked over his shoulder at me.

His eyes, in this dream, drew me to him. He pulled me forward with a sinful glint in his eye, his lips parted and reddened from kiss as he settled me between him and Drake. His lips dragged themselves along my back and my shoulders, teasing my neck as he forced himself into me, forcing me into Drake. It was a strange feeling, fucking and being fucked at the same time. I could remember, clearly, Drake's eyes going wide with pleasure as he moaned, mine and Adam's names rolling off his tongue in whispers.

Adam would thrust, forcing me into suit to thrust into Drake, who pushed back against me and I pushed back against Adam. And so this rhythm kept its pace before building harder and faster, and it was no longer Adam leading but each of us moving independently with one another. I pushed into Drake and he pushed back, taking me deep. And when I pulled out, Adam pushed deep into me, nailing me before I nailed Drake. We had been just on the verge of coming when I woke, dead in the night, panting and sweating with my release sticking my blanket to my hips.

Needless to say I'd cleaned up quickly before going back to sleep and had not dreamed further of such things.

But why had I dreamed of that? Why had I dreamed of being so passionate with the Pharaoh and his Husband when neither of them held me in such a way that I, truly, _desired_ to be passionate with them? True, I loved Adam dearly and I always would, and there was a part of me that was a little protective and emotionally close to Drake in ways that not many people would ever understand. I believed that, because of this connection, that part of me loved Drake as well.

It was so strange, though. The strangeness and the erotica made me blush and I covered my face with my arms for a moment before letting them fall back to my sides as I sighed softly. I doubted that I would ever confront Adam or Drake with the knowledge of this dream, knowing of the embarrassment it would leave upon me. Not to mention, I didn't want to give Adam any bright ideas for the future. That man was perverted enough; he didn't need my help.

Tossing the blanket aside, I pulled myself from the comforts of my bed, sliding down onto the floor before crossing, naked, to the wardrobe just off to the northern side of my room. I never liked sleeping with clothes, to be honest. Clothes made everything restricted, hot and uncomfortable. Though, in my time with Bradley, I wore as many clothes as possible at night because I didn't want to be… given a rude awakening, needless to say.

A shiver rolled down my spine and, for a moment, I felt a phantom sensation of that filthy man's hands all over me, the blade of his Ra-forsaken knife digging into my hips, his lips panting hot, dirty breaths into my ear as he ravaged my soul… My throat sealed up as I reached for the handle of the wardrobe doors, leaning heavily against the wood before pulling them open. Reaching inside, I pulled a pair of loose fitting white trousers and a white, off-the-shoulder shirt with gold trim.

Tugging them on, I crossed to my vanity before sitting down to glance at my reflection in the mirror. My hair was a little disheveled, but after running my fingers through it, I managed to untangle the knots and smooth it out some, letting it hang in waves around my face. I touched up the circles under my eyes with a light powder, smudging liner around my eyes before standing from the small seat at my vanity. I didn't bother with shoes as I left the confines of my room.

I wasn't sure where I wanted to go or what I would do once I got to wherever it was my feet were carrying me, but I found myself not really caring. It didn't matter where I went, really, as long as I enjoyed the time I spent getting there, right? Even in the silence of this late morning walk, there was a lingering peace that I hadn't felt in a long time.

How long had it been since I'd felt peace? How long had it been since I'd felt safe and at home somewhere? The servants had finally stopped mistaking me for Drake and Drake for me; they knew how to differentiate the young King and the old lover. People no longer gave me concerned looks for the fact that I was supposed to be dead or that I had caused a bit of an uproar between the Pharaoh and his Husband.

I'd felt it the day I'd been brought to this very palace when I was eighteen to be Adam's pleasure servant. I'd been a gift to him from his father, which was strange considering his father, later, didn't approve of our relationship. But hadn't he seen it coming when he gifted me to Adam in the first place? Hadn't he expected it when Adam made no notion to find a Queen to bear his children?

I lost it the day I awoke in the small house that Brad had taken me to. I lost it for those three years of rape, abuse and torture that I felt. I lost it for believing in the word of a traitor. I lost it for losing faith in Adam's love in me, and when I finally escaped, I thought I would never have it back. I thought I would never have that euphoria of being accepted and valued. Wanted so fiercely back into something like the life that I used to have.

But I had it. And I didn't want to let go of it.

I'd just turned a corner, heading down a hallway when I heard the soft strumming of a familiar guitar. I smiled, pausing in mid-step as I listened to the serenading strings being plucked to play their sweet melody. I turned, crossing the hallway, listening as the music got louder and louder as I neared Tommy's door. I'd only been to his room a handful of times, and it was a wonder that I remembered where it was at all because of the massiveness of the palace. But I had a funny knack for retaining information of places I'd been, even if I'd only been there once or twice.

I curled my hand into a fist, knocking gently on the wood of Tommy's door. His voice was soft as he muttered for me to enter, and I gripped the handle, pushing the door open slowly. He continued playing, lifting his head long enough to see me before he smiled brightly. "Good morning, Alex," he said gently, his fingers dancing in a slow swing down the neck of the guitar.

"Good morning, Tommy," I said back, letting his door click shut as I stepped further into the room. He motioned for me to sit at the foot of his bed— he was sitting at the head— and I nodded once, taking my place across from him. I watched as he bent his head over his guitar again, getting back into a rhythm of playing before his back straightened out. His strumming and plucking grew faster and it wasn't until he was strumming hard and beautifully that I noticed his eyes were closed and he seemed to be humming along.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from him as he played something that was hard and passionate while also being melancholy before it faded out to serene and warm. The silence was deafening when he stopped and I smiled brightly at him, my heart thudding a thousand beats per minute as I clapped quietly.

"That was beautiful," I murmured, the admiration heavy like sugar in my tone and Tommy blushed faintly, shoving his hair out of his face.

"Thanks, Alex."

"Did you write that?" He blushed a little further, nodding once.

"Yeah, I did. Well, sort of. I will write it down at some point. Right now it's all up here," he commented, tapping his temple with the pad of his fingertip with a gentle smirk toying at his lips. I laughed softly, letting my eyes drop to the guitar that was sitting in his lap. The polished wood was gleaming with a delicious red— cherry, perhaps?— in the light, hieroglyphics etched and glazed over in the surface of music and freedom, expression and life. I smiled more.

"Where'd you get the inspiration for it?" I asked him, and Tommy's eyes wavered over to the wall that held the door I'd entered through. I glanced over in the direction that he was gazing, seeing a beautiful, bright mural painted onto the surface. Rich washes of gold and orange with hues of rose painting a beautiful sunset with a music staff in bold black waving in and out of the clouds. I gasped softly, something in my mind and my heart telling me I knew exactly who painted it.

"Drake made that for me shortly after he and Adam confessed their love for one another," there was a touch of sadness in his tone that made me frown slightly, "and every time I look at this painting I think of all of the things Drake has done for me and all of the ways he expresses his own love for me. Sometimes it makes me happy, sometimes it makes me long for him. But there are times where I look upon it and I feel so inspired to the point that I could, literally, burst with the need to create," his words sounded familiar, and I realized that Drake had said something similar to me after a walk he had through the gardens.

"So, I picked up my guitar and I started playing. And what you heard was the result of my inspiration," he finished and I looked back over at him, smiling warmly from ear to ear at him.

"And what would you call this result?" I inquired and he smiled faintly.

"_Aftermath_," he mused gently, "I… I even thought of words, to go along with it. But I can't sing to save my life, so, I figured, once I have it all written down… I'll play and Adam can sing.. and it can be like my gift back to Drake for all he's done for me," I nodded once, glancing first at his guitar and then over at the painting.

"I'm sure he'll love it," I told him, a twist of jealousy gripping my heart and clenching my throat, but I swallowed the lump and smiled softly at Tommy. He chuckled quietly, shaking his head before bending over his guitar again, plucking strings to make a beautiful melody of whispers and hymns, almost, and I sighed quietly.

"I wish I could play like that," I admitted without really thinking about it, and Tommy looked up at me before tossing his head to the side, sending his hair out of his face again, his fingers never stopping for an instant.

"It's not hard. It just takes a lot of practice, you know?" He commented and I chuckled, nodding once. I knew. For some people, things came naturally, but the only way to perfect it was through practice.

I watched for a moment longer before Tommy smiled up at me, his fingers still dancing and plucking away, "Would you like to learn?" He offered and I blushed faintly, nodding once. He stopped playing and I had to fight the whine as he motioned for me to come closer to him. I did as I was told, sitting more in the middle of his bed as he moved to sit behind me. His back was against the wall and he had me pulled up against his chest. He reached around me, resting the guitar in my lap, letting it rest comfortably before he took my hands, bringing my left up to the neck of the guitar and my right across the body, my fingers resting along the strings.

"Do you know anything of music at all?" He asked and I bit down on my bottom lip, my face heating up at the closeness that we shared with Tommy's arms around me and his breath trailing into my ear and over my shoulder.

"Somewhat. I learned a little as a child. My mother tried teaching me piano, but I wasn't terribly interested in art then," I explained, and I felt Tommy nod behind me.

"Can you play me an A?" He inquired and I gnawed on my bottom lip before moving down the third string and plucking it once. Tommy chuckled and my face flamed. "Close, but not quite," he said, palming a hand over mine on the neck as he brought my hand up barely half an inch to the second string as opposed to the third, letting my hand hover over the spot, "it's this one," he guided my right hand to pluck the string, the sound coming off a little lower, a little softer.

"Here, move your right hand for a moment," I did as I was told and I watched Tommy replace it with his own right hand, his callused fingers positioned at the ready as he guided my left hand, "this is an E," he plucked, and there was a gentle low hum, "this is an A, as you know," he moved my hand down, gently letting my finger hover over the second string before he plucked it, "D," move, pluck, "G," another move before a pluck, soft and somewhat high, "B," pluck, "and, finally, another E," pluck, nice and high but sweet.

I smiled softly as he told me to play a G, and I did as I was told. He had me pluck each string before giving me a new challenge, "Play me a G chord," I frowned, glancing over my shoulder at him with worry. He laughed, palming my hand tenderly, "Chords are set up based on notes and frets. Frets are these spaces there between the lines— or the nuts," he explained, pressing my index finger into the second fret on the A string, "hand position is key for playing guitar, as it is with any instrument that requires your hands," middle finger, placed on the E string in the third fret, "and it's not uncommon for there to be some discomfort when playing at first. Your hand will be in positions and placements it's not used to, but over time it gets easier," ring finger on the high E string in the third fret.

True to his word, my hand was starting to nit-pick at me for being positioned like this, but I held through until he took hold of my right hand again, bringing it back to the hollow of strings. He guided me, strumming once to made a beautiful, clean sound and I grinned softly, "Congratulations, Alex, you've played your first chord," he said and I laughed softly, relaxing my hand to grip the neck of the guitar loosely as I looked over my shoulder at Tommy.

Without even thinking, I leaned back, pressing a kiss to his cheek as a way of expressing my gratitude for taking the time to teach me this lesson. When I pulled away, Tommy's face was written with a look of shock and even a touch of tender awe. My heart skipped a beat as his eyes wandered from mine to my lips before climbing back to mine again.

Slowly, he leaned forward the few short inches between us, pressing his lips to mine in a gentle, chaste kiss. The contact set my skin on fire and I moaned quietly, feeling his fingers slide between those of mine that were wrapped around the neck of the guitar, filling in the spaces like he was meant to be there. I reached up with my right hand, palming his face delicately as he kissed me again, a little harder, a little hotter. His tongue trailed along the seam of my lips and I, graciously, parted them to let him in, moaning at the rich taste of his tongue on mine. Tommy moaned into my mouth, his hair tickling my face as he pushed closer to me, kissing me harder.

Moaning loudly, Tommy and I pulled away from each other, breathing hard as we stared into one another's eyes. The connection felt like eternity shoved into a matter of a second or two before Tommy pushed the guitar out of my lap and out of harm's way, turning me in his arms to face him. My knees nestled themselves between his thighs as my hands flew up to cup his cheeks, and I leaned forward, slamming my mouth over his into another fiery kiss.


	49. I Need a Doctor to Bring Me Back to Life

**Chapter Forty-Eight: I Need a Doctor to Bring Me Back to Life  
Hiei's POV**

A few days ago, Cassidy and I had been cuddling after making love. He kept sweeping his hands over my hips which was kept pulling soft giggles from my lips. I was laughing and giggling at every touch because my hips were extremely ticklish and when I finally told him to stop and asked him why he was touching me like that, he smiled and kissed me gently on the lips. He went into a long explanation of the tattoos Adam and Drake had and shared with each other. They were the same tattoos that he had on his hips. They were for Brad, before his betrayal was made known.

He told me how much he loved me. He said it over and over again, complimenting each statement with a kiss. When he told me how much he wanted to share his tattoos with me, I couldn't really say no. He kept kissing me and he slid over me, kissing me over and over again. We made love again and all I could really think about was giving myself to Cassidy for a third time. Emotionally, I was Cassidy's, physically I was Cassidy, and now? Now we were going to share the tattoos of "lover". He was actually getting his original tattoos redone, not because they needed to be touched up or anything, but to symbolically give himself to me. He said he didn't want his tattoos to be for Brad anymore and he was willing to go through the pain again to give himself to me.

A few days ago, it seemed like a good idea. I was happy to say yes, but if that was because Cassidy was making such sweet love to me, or because I truly desired the tattoos, I wasn't entirely sure. The inks man was here already, though, and I couldn't really say no after he travelled all the way to the palace. According to Cassidy, he had done all of Adam and Drake's ink work. They both sported beautiful inking, so I hoped mine would turn out just as beautiful.

Cassidy had also talked me into a tattoo design on my back, one that he designed himself. There was an ankh to be placed on the middle of my lower back, with hieroglyphics spread out to the sides, making promises of love and devotion to me. It was a beautiful tattoo, almost like the ink that both Drake and Tommy sported across their shoulder blades. I had a hard time tell Cassidy no for anything. He was just too important to me. Not to mention, when he pouted, it was almost impossible to resist him. He was just too damned beautiful. Little fucker.

Or should I say big fucker?

Now I was sitting with Cassidy, watching the inks man set up his inks. When he began pulling out his needles, I was getting a little anxious. I didn't like the idea of getting stabbed with a needle over and over again, but I knew I was going to sit and deal with it. I asked Drake about it. He said it hurt like no other, but he also said that he was a pansy, so I would probably be okay. I didn't really believe Drake was that week, especially considering his sex life. He could take pain. Maybe three years ago, he couldn't… I wasn't entirely sure, I just prayed to Ra that I could handle the pain just as well as anyone else, hopefully better.

"Are you alright, baby?" Cassidy whispered, wrapping an arm around my soon to be marked waist. He pressed a gentle kiss into my hair before kissing my neck and nipping at my jaw. I whimpered quietly, nudging him in the side to keep him from getting us both hot and bothered.

"Yes, I'm fine," I told him, although I was a little worried about what was about to happen. I had a high tolerance for pain, but that didn't mean I enjoyed pain. Then again, nothing could really hurt as much as losing your virginity did, right? Ra, I hoped so.

"Nerves?" he whispered into my ear and I whimpered softly. He chuckled softly. "Are you afraid of the pain or the ink itself?" he asked. He sounded like he was teasing me, but I could hear the underlying worry in his tone. He didn't want my rejection. I wasn't going to reject his tattoos of love. I'd already given myself to Cassidy completely.

"Just the pain," I said, leaning into him and resting my head against his shoulder. "I love you and I'm not afraid of what these tattoos mean, I just don't like dealing with pain… How long is this going to hurt for, exactly? And how long does it take to get the tattoos anyway?"

"A couple of hours," he said, pulling me into his lap and holding me tightly against his chest. "But I'll be there the entire time to hold your hands." He kissed my cheek gently and then he nibbled on my ear. I moaned quietly, pulling my ear away from his mouth. "And once your inking is over, you get to hold my hand, because I can't deal with pain to save my life. You'll probably look like a big, strong man compared to me today," I couldn't really fight the laugh. Cassidy always seemed to strong and firm, but the idea of him being the "smaller man" as some say, was funny as all get out.

"Well, if you can do this again, then so can I," I told him. "I love you and I've already given you everything. A few tattoos don't scare me." He smiled at me, kissing me gently. "But you don't have to get your tattoos re-inked, Cassidy. I love you and I know that those marks aren't for Brad anymore. I know that you love me and I know that you'll always think of those marks as mine and not Brad's." My tone was quiet, compassionate and Cassidy turned to look me in the eyes, his shining with tears.

"They will always be yours, Hiei, but I want to do this," he said, pressing his lips to mine in a sweet, chaste kiss. "I need to do this for us both. You're my lover and my life now. I need to let go of Brad completely…"

I couldn't help but smile at him. I knew Brad crushed his heart and, until we had grown so close, he didn't have a will to love anymore. Brad ruined that for him. And, for what I learned about Brad, I couldn't really say I blamed Cassidy in the slightest. While Cassidy was in their bed, loving Brad and trusting him completely, Brad was raping first Alex and then Drake years later. Brad had tried to overthrow Adam's position so he could take over the position as the Pharaoh of Egypt. He wanted to ruin everything that Adam had built up. Brad was one seriously fucked up bastard…

"Cassidy? Hiei?" the inks man said, coming over to us. He was a kind looking, older gentleman. "I'm all set up, whenever you're ready to start." He smiled at us and Cassidy's arms tightened around me before, pushing me up gently.

"I think we're all set," he said to the man. "Hiei will be going first." The man chuckled; nodding a little and he lead us over to where he had set up his various inks and needles. Cassidy had me sit down in a soft padded chair, letting me recline in a little. The older man handed me a towel and I blinked him, confused.

"You'll need to take your shorts off so he can get full access to your hips. The towel is to stay covered up," Cassidy whispered into my ear and I blushed softly, squirming out of my shorts and pulling the towel around the lowest portion of my hips.

As promised, the two hip tattoos, as well as the one on my back, took only two and a half hours. They were in brilliant greens and blacks. The old man held a mirror up so I could see the one on my back and it was gorgeous, well worth the pain. I'd held onto Cassidy's hands tightly the entire time. Being repeated stabbed with a needle was really not as fun as it sounded, shocking as that was.

"You alright, baby?" Cassidy asked me and I smiled sheepishly. I was sure I was a little pale, in fact, I was feeling a little light headed. "Hiei?"

"I'm fine," I said, chuckling lightly. "I'm fine. It hurts a little but I'm fine. Okay, it hurts a lot, but… losing my virginity to you hurt a lot worse, so I'm not complaining much. You think you're ready for this?"

Cassidy laughed softly, sounding a little nervous. "Well, no, not really… but I might as well get it over with."

"You know you don't have to do this, Cass. I won't be mad, you know that," I said to him, kissing him gently over the back of the chair. I had turned so my stomach was pressed into the back, giving the inks man access to my back. "I won't hold it against you."

"I already told you, I want to do this, I'm just going to look like a little girl while doing it," he muttered, standing up to help me out of the chair. It hurt to move at certain angles, but the pain was more like an annoying throb. I took his chair and he sat down in my place, his hips completely exposed for the older man.

"Give me your hands, baby," I said. He smiled and laced his fingers with me, leaning up to kiss me gently. I kissed him back and it wasn't until he moaned in pain that our kiss broke. It took about another hour for the man to completely recover the old tattoos that Cassidy had gotten for Brad. Cassidy's eyes were squeezed shut the entire time; tears leaking down the sides of his face. He really didn't handle pain very well. I wondered if he'd ever let someone make love to him before and if he was able to handle that better than he handled this.

"Alright," the kind old man said, standing up straight. "You're all finished. Just give them a few days to heal and you both should be fine," he said, smiling at us like we were the best of friends. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have another appointment to get to. It was a pleasure working for you and if ever require me again, please don't hesitate to call me up."

"Thank you, Sir," Cassidy muttered, sitting up straight and blinking away the majority of his tears. "We will definitely be calling on you again, I'm sure." He stood up and shook hands with the man. He bid us a final farewell before he turned and left.

"So?" I asked, slowly standing up, trying to be cautious of my newest pains. "How do you feel, baby?"

"Renewed…" Cassidy said, wrapped his arms around me in a hug, mindful of the freshest ink on my back. "I feel like… Well, this is going to sound so fucking cheesy, but I feel like I've completely washed Brad off of me and I'm ready to spend the rest of my life with you and be happy with you." I grinned like a love struck idiot and Cassidy mirrored that grin. "And how do you feel, Baby?" he asked me.

I blushed softly, glancing down at the dark greenish-black tattoos on my hips. "I've never felt so right, Cassidy. I've never really felt like I belonged somewhere before. I know that this is where I should be and that your arms are where I want to be," I told him, wrapping my arms around my neck and pressing my lips to his in a loving, passionate kiss. "I've never felt so in love, to be completely honest. I love you, so much…"

"I know that isn't an easy thing for you to admit to me, and I'm so glad that you can, because I love you too and I don't think I can let go of you…" he whispered back, pressing his lips to mine again.


	50. I'm Unashamed, I'm Gonna Show My Scar

**Chapter Forty-Nine: I'm Unashamed, I'm Gonna Show My Scar**

**Drake's POV**

I sat with my chest pressed against the back of the chair, my chin tucked neatly on top of my arms as the elderly inksman— whose name I'd finally learned to be Angelo— did a few fleeting touch ups on the tattoo on my back. He wasn't completely covering the whole thing, no. Just the parts that had been marred by the scars that Brad left. When I'd showed it to him, his face expressed his distress at his work and for me, but he said that it wouldn't take any more than half an hour to fix up and make perfect again.

Initially, I had called upon Angelo to get the touch up because it had been something that I was neglecting for a long time. Between simply forgetting to my marriage to Adam and Tommy falling sick, it had been on the back burner of my mind. But when Hiei had approached me with questions on the intensity of the pain from inking, the idea struck back to me almost instantly. However, when he told me just what he was getting inked, something else came to mind for me.

Adam's thirty-fourth birthday was only two days away, and I hadn't thought of what to get him or do for him for it. Sure, I had no doubt in mind that there was going to be a lot of sex involved, but I wanted to do something special. Something that we would have for forever. And when Hiei said he was getting the lover tattoos and, perhaps, something else, I knew what I wanted to do.

"Almost done, Drake. I just need to do this last bit on the wing here. Unfortunately it's on the bone, so try to relax," Angelo murmured, and I hummed in response, letting the tension out of my body as best as I could. Fortunately, the pain wasn't nearly so bad this time since it was in a smaller dose and not all gathered together. It was more discomforting than agonizing, like it had been the first time. But, sure enough, when Angelo started touching up along my shoulder blade, I forced myself to bite down onto my arm, groaning softly.

In a few moments he was done, and I sighed a breath of relief. Angelo walked around me, setting the needle and the inks down before turning towards me, a small smile on his face, "Is there anything else I can do for you, Sir?" He asked, and I chuckled quietly, nodding once.

"Yes, one more thing… As you, probably, know, Adam's birthday is in a few days, and.. I wanted to give him something a little special," I told him, standing from the chair. Pain lingered in my back, but it wasn't so terrible that I wasn't able to move, like the first time. I crossed to his table, lifting my sketch pad into my hands before flipping it open to a small design that I had made. It was Adam's full name in hieroglyphics, surrounded by a long, thin oval-like stone shape. Above his name was the Eye of Horus in brilliant blues and greens. The stone was a warm gold, and Adam's name in a deep, sea blue.

Angelo's eyes widened softly as he took the pad from my hands, staring at it for a moment with a smile stretching across his lips, "This is magnificent. And where would you like it done?" He inquired and I blushed faintly.

"On the inside of my thigh, if that's not too much trouble?" I asked, and he laughed, shaking his head.

"No trouble at all. Just get changed and I'll get the inks ready. It should only take about an hour." I nodded once, turning to hurry back into mine and Adam's chamber. Adam was at some sort of meeting with Cassidy and a few other council members from neighboring countries. I opted to stay out of it despite being the Pharaoh's Husband. I had told Adam that I had other things that I wanted to take care of today. In truth, I really just didn't want to go.

Quickly, I changed from my pants to a pair of loose fitting shorts, crossing back out to the balcony where Angelo was comparing inks and colors, even mixing up the right shades of blue and green for me. I sat back down in the chair, rolling up the leg of the left side of my shorts to my groin, shivering as a cool wind kissed my skin.

Angelo came back to me, kneeling down in front of me before gently grabbing my leg, turning it so that he could get a clear view of the inside of my thigh. I bit down on my lip, looking away from him as his thumb trailed over the light scars in my skin. No doubt he had heard the soft rumors of Pharaoh's late advisor hurting one of his boys, and he'd made the connection between the rumor and my scars. But he didn't say anything about it as he glanced down at the sketch that was lying beside him before he pressed the needle to the baby fat of my thigh, beginning the process.

If anything, this inking tickled some. It didn't hurt because it wasn't near the bone, and there was just enough muscle with a light touch of fat that added as a sort of cushion to the nerves that might've been sensitive. I reclined a little in the chair as he changed needles and inks, letting myself relax as he did the gold of the stone tablet before making quick work to ink in the Eye. Sunlight washed over my skin and soft breezes rustled my hair, but it was all gentle and relaxing. Angelo was silent as he worked, his hand soft and warm against my leg.

There was a brief pause before Angelo continued easily stabbing the needle into my skin, and I knew that he was beginning to work on actually writing out Adam's name. I draped an arm over my face, letting my right palm sit, relaxed, on my stomach. On occasion the tickling sensation felt more like pricks and bites, and I ended up chewing on the inside of my cheek a little before he pulled away again. "Alright, Drake," he said, "all finished.

I dropped my arm and looked down at the tattoo that rested into my skin. The paleness of my thigh was painted a soft red from being stabbed at, but the colors were brilliant and perfect. It looked like Angelo had made a carbon copy of my drawing right into my skin, and I grinned ear to ear. It was absolutely perfect.

"Thank you, Angelo," I said, reaching forward to wrap my arms around his shoulders, hugging him tightly. Angelo made a startled noise before laughing and hugging me back. I pulled away, embarrassed, as he started to clean up.

"It was no trouble, Drake. I enjoyed working with you," he said simply, smiling as he gathered up his inks and took them back to the table. Standing from the chair, I snatched my sketch off of the ground, clutching it to my side as he spoke, "I'd give it a day or two to heal, but you should be fine walking around and what not." I nodded once to him as he carefully placed everything into his bag.

"Thank you, again, Angelo," I murmured and he shook his head, waving me off.

"No need, Drake. It was a pleasure. Call me if you desire anything else," he said and I nodded once, watching him disappear through mine and Adam's chamber and out the door on the other side of the room. I sighed softly, smiling brilliantly to myself as I walked back into the room, setting my sketchpad onto the vanity, closing it up before grabbing my shirt off of the back of the chair. It was shear, gold in color and practically weightless. I tugged it on over my head, unfolding the left leg as I walked out of the chamber and into the hallway.

I turned on my heel, making my way down the hall for a little aimless roaming. I passed by bedrooms and storage closets, servant boys and girls who were tending to their chores. They smiled at me, and I nodded to them in return, feeling light as a feather and calm as the sea. Part of me wanted to find Adam and show him the tattoo, but I knew that I could not. Not tonight, anyway.

Turning a corner, I saw Alex coming down from the library and I stopped, smiling at him. He seemed to be deep in thought for a moment until his eyes fell on me and he smiled back. But there was something in his eyes that was strange. A curiosity that burned like lusty pleasure, and a shiver went spiraling down my back.

"Does something trouble you, Alex?" I inquired and Alex bit down on his lip, looking away from me for a moment as a blush tainted his skin. I was almost certain that he blushed more than I did, but I didn't wish to tease him about it just yet.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you.. what you were planning to do for Adam's birthday?" I blinked once, chuckling softly as I walked beside him.

"I've.. already gotten something for him," Alex's eyes flashed with curiosity and I smirked, "I.. just got his name tattooed into my thigh..see?" I said, turning my leg a little outward, lifting the fabric of my shorts to show off the new inking. It was about the length of my forearm, really. Alex's eyes widened and he smiled, looking up at me.

"It's beautiful," he commented, and we started walking again. "I… I had an idea, but..it's entirely up to you, really," He began, and I frowned some, looking over at him.

"What is it?" I asked, and Alex blushed furiously, speaking quietly like he was embarrassed.

"Remember that day in the gardens where Adam found us together?" He said, and I nodded once, "I.. I thought about what he said.. When he said that if..if we ever..did anything together, that he would w-want to watch?" The blood, first, drained from my face before rushing back in full as I understood exactly what Alex was trying to get at.

"Are you suggesting—" I began, but he cut me off.

"That we have sex in front of Adam? …Yes." My heart slammed into my chest and I looked away from Alex for a moment. To be utterly honest, I had wondered on occasion what it would be like to sleep with the man that looked so much like me. That Adam had loved so passionately before me. I never wanted to admit it to anyone because I knew they would never let me live it down, but now Alex was suggesting it be our birthday present to Adam...

I stopped in the middle of the hallway with Alex at my side, blushing and refusing to look at me. A thought came to mind and I chuckled, smirking over at the older man, "It seems to me like this is more of a present to you, though.. Fucking with Pharaoh's Husband?" I teased and Alex's face flushed a beautiful red.

"I-It's was m-merely suggestion, I didn't—" I cut him off by pressing a gentle, chaste kiss to his lips, and he shut up immediately.

"I know, Alex. I think it's a great idea," I told him, smiling, "Where should we do it?" I asked, and Alex looked away, pondering.

"Your bedroom?" He suggested and I wrinkled my nose, shaking my head.

"Too ordinary. We need something original.." I commented, and Alex spoke without looking at me.

"The throne room." I stopped, turning my attention to him as his eyes lifted to meet mine. The throne room was perfect. The doors could all be locked off, except for one, if need be… I painted the room in my mind— the stairs, the golden throne itself and how it could comfortably accommodate one or two people… A smirk danced on my lips.

"Perfect. What would we wear? Not the skanky shorts or anything, Adam's used to those," I said, and it was Alex's turn to smirk.

"We could go for what I used to wear when I was his pleasure servant," he suggested, and the crook of my raised eyebrow was all he needed to elaborate, "I wore robes. Brilliantly beautiful robes of plush cotton and silk with elaborate embroidery. Rich reds and deep blues. They hung off the shoulders, right along here," he said, trailing his hands along my shoulders. The robe would exposed the tops and sides of them, and as his hands washed down over my chest, I knew that they would also expose a great deal of skin.

"A silk tie would keep it closed, right along the waist. And the folds overlap, so instead of the line parting down the middle, it's more along the side," his hands slid down the left half of my chest, his fingers trailing along my outer thigh. I shivered slightly as he spoke, "They're light and comfy, but they're long and they flow beautifully."

"Then why did Adam insist on having me and Tommy dress in those awfully tight shorts?" I asked and Alex threw his head back to laugh.

"I know not. You'll have to ask him that yourself," he commented and I smiled, walking with him again.

"So we have the place, and we know what we want to wear.. Anything else?" I asked and Alex smiled warmly.

"Not that I know of, but knowing us, we'll think of something as we go along with it all," I nodded once, laughing with him before looping my arm with his, walking down the palace halls with him as if I'd known him my whole life.


	51. I Think They Meant It

**Chapter Fifty: I Think They Meant It, When They Said That  
Hiei's POV**

Things had been really boring since I got my inking. Cassidy had been with Adam almost all day. I only saw him and meals and at night. I'd permanently moved into Cassidy's room. We made love quite a lot, which was saying something since I was a virgin just a short while ago. I wasn't going to lie, sex with Cassidy was amazing, but that wasn't the only thing I could do with my life, especially when Cassidy spent most of his time with Adam. I couldn't blame him, he was Adam's adviser, but it left my days pretty lonely.

I wasn't really feeling up to being lonely today.

But I couldn't really find anyone I wanted to spend my day with. I ran into Tommy earlier but he seemed to be pretty intent on whatever he and Alexander were going off to do. I ran into a lot of servants but they were all busy doing their daily chores. I didn't really want to hang out with them anyway. I didn't know any of them and, call me conceited, but I was the lover of the Pharaoh's adviser. I shouldn't have to spend all of my free time with the Pharaoh's servants.

To pass time, I went to the market right outside the palace grounds. From what everyone had told me, it's where everyone who worked and lived in the palace went for whatever they needed. It was the market I'd been caught stealing from, actually. This time I actually did have money with me. Cassidy gave me some, so I didn't need to steal whatever it was that I wanted to buy. I didn't need to steal to survive anymore, thank god. Hopefully I didn't turn into a spoiled brat, but I was really enjoying palace life. I think a lot of that was because of Cassidy though. I wouldn't love being in the palace if I were alone in it.

Unfortunately, now that I had money, I wasn't really finding much in the way of things I wanted to buy. The palace already had everything someone could ever hope for, and then some, so what more did I need to add to that? If I wanted something, I was almost sure that Cassidy would get it for me. He did everything he could to make me happy, and he knew that being alone all day didn't make me very happy… But there wasn't much he could do short of apologizing and spending dinner and evenings with me.

I'd spent almost an hour wandering the stands and tents set up around the market. Everything from food, to extravagant jewelry, elaborately embroidered clothing and glass blown vases. Colors ranged from boring blacks and whites to brilliant yellows and oranges and everywhere you turned, there was something new to look at.

Nothing actually stuck with me enough to buy it though. I thought about, maybe, getting something for Cassidy. He'd given me inkings to show our love and to show all the promises he made to me, but what had I given him, really? Well, my virginity, I supposed, but that wasn't something that constantly lingered with him. I wanted, maybe, a necklace or bracelet or even a little charm for an earring. He made clothes so maybe I could make jewelry. It didn't look hard. In fact, it looked rather simple, and everyone in the palace had his or her ear pierced in at least one spot. Maybe an earing was the best way to go. I could probably make earrings for everyone. I knew that Drake had his right ear pierced two or three times, Cassidy had both pierced one, Adam had a few, but I wasn't sure on exact numbers for him. Tommy and Alex also had a couple, from what I observed.

The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. I wanted people besides Cassidy to realize that I wasn't a terrible person, I'd just had a rough start to life, given that my mother died, I didn't ever really know her, and my father was an abusive asshole. He tried to sell me into sex slavery for god's sake! Wait, no, he wasn't an asshole; assholes actually did have a purpose in life. I wasn't that awful was I? Well. I'd like to think not anyway.

Once I'd come to a decision on how to spend my money, I did a one-eighty and started walking back to a large purple tent with rusty gold stitching. It was the first jewelry and clothing tent I'd seen and it was a lot more impressive than the rest of the stands I'd been passing. From what I gathered, people who were set up inside tents had better quality goods with a wider range in variety of what they were offering. Logically, that made sense, considering that if his or her products were better, they would make more money and is able to afford a nicer stand, shop, tent-thing.

I went back into the tent and glanced around, trying to figure out exactly where I needed to be for what I wanted to accomplish, but brilliant flaming red hair caught my eye. There was only one person in the world I knew with hair that crimson, and it was the Pharaoh's husband. "Drake?" I asked, walking over to him. He was standing among racks of clothing, looking at what appeared to be long, silk robes.

His bright ocean eyes turned to look at me, first in confusion, then in worry, like I wasn't supposed to be here, and then in recognition. He smiled a pearly smile at me just as he pulled a robe that matched his hair off the rack. "Oh, hey Hiei," he said, sounding awfully cheery. From what Cassidy had told me about the people who worked and lived in the palace, Drake was generally a happy, active person, but since I'd come, I hadn't seen much of that happiness. So many horrible things had happened. Tommy getting sick, Alexander showing up and causing turmoil in his marriage, not to mention, Adam actually getting poisoned by someone he still didn't know. Oh yeah, and he was made Pharaoh while Adam was sick and struggled to keep the kingdom running despite his lack of knowing what to do. It was nice to see the false-ginger smiling all the time. Drake and I hadn't really gotten a chance to know each other very well yet, but I was attached to him because he did save me from being sent to the dungeons with all of those awful men.

"Hey," I said, smiling back, although I wasn't very confident in my own looks. There was no way I compared to his perfection, though Cassidy always told me I was the most beautiful boy he'd ever seen.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" Drake asked, draping the robe over his forearm. He reached for another without really looking, but I assumed he'd been studying them for a while, trying to decide which ones he wanted.

"Well, I got kind of bored sitting around the palace with nothing to do, so I decided to come look around while Cassidy was with Adam," I told him. "What about you? I didn't expect to see you out here. Actually… I'm kind of surprised that Adam lets you out of the palace without a bunch of bodyguards. No offense or anything, it's just… He's really protective of you."

He laughed, draping another robe, this one green-ish blue over the first one. They both looked to be the same size, so I assumed they were both for him, but I'd never seen him wear such a long robe before. "He is protective, especially as of late, but Adam doesn't tell me what to do anymore. I'm not his bitch really he's mine. He just doesn't like to admit it in front of people," he said, smirking just a touch. I was sure Drake was usually on the receiving end of the sex but it was true, Drake had Adam wrapped around his finger. It was completely obvious to everyone, even if Adam pretended it wasn't true.

"Well, how could he not be your bitch? If he isn't he stops getting sex," I said, smirking at the blush that swept across Drake's face. I was young, among the people in the palace, I realized, but Drake was younger than me, much to my satisfaction. Teasing him seemed like it would be a lot of fun.

"Yes… well, I probably enjoy the sex as much as he does, so who's really being punished if I stop offering it to him?" he asked, his blush deepening enough to match his hair and the new robe he was about to buy.

"Both of you would suffer, I guess. Maybe it would be a competition to see who could last the longest," I told him, smirking a little more. He was adorable when he blushed like that. I could see why Adam found him irresistible, but I don't know if I would be able to marry someone so much younger than me. It was a little different when you were the younger one. Obviously their age difference wasn't an issue, cause they were happily married and had sex almost daily. I guess Cassidy and I were about the same, really. Just a difference of, like nine years, not thirteen. "So, uh… what's with the robes? I've never seen you wear something like that before."

Instead of blushing, like I would have imagined he would do, he smirked. "They're for Adam's birthday, tomorrow," he told me, putting his free hand over the silk. I imagined they were soft and smooth to the touch, probably orgasmic if worn with nothing else on. Oh… Oh, I get it.

"For you and Adam? That one doesn't really look big enough to fit Adam…" I mumbled, glancing from the robes, to Drake's face. He was blushing again, looking down at the garments, petting them fondly.

"They aren't for Adam and I, they're for Alex and myself…" he muttered, still blushing, but smiling at the same time. "Don't tell anyone. It's supposed to be a surprise, but Alex and I… decided to, well, to put it bluntly, we decided to have sex in front of Adam for his birthday." That shocked me. Don't get me wrong, the idea of watching Alex and Drake having sex was completely and totally appealing, but Drake was married, wasn't he? Was it all right to just have sex with someone else? I supposed it must have been, because Drake loved Adam dearly, but I was still naïve in these matters.

"Adam wouldn't be upset…?" I asked, probably looking extremely confused.

"Upset? More like horny to be completely honest. I wouldn't consider doing it if it would upset Adam, but I know it wouldn't. He'll… probably really enjoy it, actually…" Drake looked away, blushing again. Ra, he did blush a lot, more than I did, even. "But, like I said, just don't tell anyone, alright? It's supposed to be a surprise for Adam and, also, I don't want the entire palace knowing that Alex and I are planning on getting it on. A few people already think I'm a whore. I don't need more people believing that…" For a moment, he looked rather upset, like he might cry or maybe he was regretting his decision to sleep with Alex, I wasn't sure which.

"Drake…" I muttered, frowning a little. I wanted to comfort him with a hug or something, but I wasn't sure if that would be over stepping my bounds or not. This wasn't anything like when Adam fell over during dinner the night he was poisoned. Drake needed comfort then, now? Now I wasn't entirely sure what to do. "You aren't a whore, and the people who think you are a whore, well… They can go fuck themselves because look at where you are? You're the Pharaoh's husband! They'll never be that successful, and they probably won't find the happiness you have either."

His eyes lit up a little, but his smile seemed a little forced. "Well… thank you, really, that does mean a lot to me, but when one of the people calling you a whore is your own brother, it's kind of hard to just block it out and not believe it," he said.

"Your brother? Eric…?" I asked. Eric was the only one Drake didn't address at meals. I thought maybe it was just sibling jealousy, like Eric couldn't understand why Drake got such opportunities when he didn't, but maybe it was because Eric completely despised Drake… Well, that would fucking suck. "Your brother called you a whore?"

"Among many other nasty, horrible things. He resents me for leaving the house when I was eighteen. He was even more upset when he found out I'd left to bed with Adam. He said, in a not as kind way, that I'd left him to be in charge of our family when he was still a kid, so I could spread my legs for anyone in the palace who asked it of me…" his voice was shaking a little and I could see tears beginning to fill in the ducts of his eyes.

"Drake… Drake, you don't have to tell me this if you don't want to. Trust me, I won't take it offensively or anything, it's alright… Please don't cry," I practically begged. I hated seeing people upset, especially Drake. When he cried, no matter what he was crying about, it was heartbreaking to watch.

He wiped his eyes with the heel of his free palm. "It's alright, Hiei, I don't mind talking to you. I just wish that we had more time before now to actually spend some time together. Things have been so fucking hectic around here…" I smiled a little, nodding. "But perhaps this isn't the best place to speak about such matters. We can always continue this discussion back in the semi-privacy of the palace. For now, let's just… relax and have a nice time out and away from the palace?"

I smiled again, nodding. "Of course, My King," I teased and he glared at me.

"Please don't call me that, I hate that," he said and I laughed.

"I believe that's why everyone calls you that, Drake, because it bugs you and people love to tease you," I told him. He rolled his eyes, smiling. At least he could take a joke. A lot of people couldn't, and those people got under my skin. Then again, I wasn't very good at taking a joke before either, so I guess I really shouldn't be talking.

"_Anyway_, did you come in here to get something or were you just looking around?" he asked me, eyeing around the rest of the tent to see if there was anything else that he might be interested in. Something must have caught his eye because he grabbed my hand and tugged me over to a case of sparkling jewelry.

"I did come in here to look at, potentially, making some earrings…" I told him.

He eyed the case before glancing at me. "For Cassidy?" he asked, smiling a little. Drake, I knew, was fully supportive of Cassidy's relationship with me. I wasn't so sure if other's were or not, but I couldn't really say their opinions mattered much to me.

"Yes, a special one for him. He's given me these inkings. I'd like to give him something special in return…" I told him, blushing faintly. I could tell because Drake was smirking ever so slightly. "But I do know that Adam's birthday is tomorrow, so I'd like to make something for him as well, and I might as well do one for you, Tommy and Alex while I'm at it. Perhaps you could all have matching ones…"

"Then, of course, you'll need to make one for yourself as well," he told me, smiling. "Because you're part of the group just as much as everyone else." He pressed a gentle kiss to my cheek and I swore I heated up a thousand degrees. "But, you could do something really special for Cassidy's. Maybe a little cuff. You had to go through the pain of inkings for him. He could go through the pain of another piercing for you."

Drake looked back down at the case of jewelry, his eyes scanning charms unattached to chains. "Perhaps Hathor? The Goddess of love? That would make quite a beautiful earring. I have supplies in my studio, if you'd like me to help you with it." He pointed to one particularly beautiful charm. It was a crimson ball sitting between golden horns with gold and red feather winds spreading out to each side. Tiny hieroglyphs were etched throughout the charm and it was just perfect.

"I love it…" I said, smiling down at the charms. "But what about for Adam? And the rest?" I added, glancing at Drake. "I'd like to, at least, give Adam something to thank him for letting me stay, and you as well, but I can't say I know very much about Adam…"

"He loves birds, wings to be exact. He… he kind of has a thing for flight, so maybe…" He scanned the case again, pointing to another. There was a small Goddess with her arms outstretched, fading into wings. The entire piece was gold and was also etched with hieroglyphs. "He'd love that one… As for the rest, we're pretty simple. We'd like just about anything you picked out. Why don't you look and I'll go get someone to unlock this case?"

I smiled at him, nodding and he turned away from me to go find some help and to probably pay for his robes. While he was gone, I scanned the case again, picking out an Ankh for Tommy, and Eye of Horus for Alex and a God for Drake, Ra. I couldn't really explain it, but I just imagined that charm on his ear and it just fit. Everything fit into place. Each piece was a mix of gold, red and blues or purples, each with hieroglyphs and they were beautiful. Now I just had to get them done before tomorrow.


	52. I'm A Loser In Love

**Chapter Fifty-One: I'm A Loser In Love  
Tommy's POV**

The days leading up to Adam's birthing were hectic, amazing, and strange all at the same time. The servants were rushing to and fro in the palace, trying to make everything ready and perfect for the day. Drake's family— specifically Roza, Amalia and Jonah— kept confiding in myself and in Drake of what would be the best gifts they could get for Adam, and we both told them their presence as his family was more than enough. The idea of gifts left me puzzled, because in all my years of knowing Adam, I never really knew what to get him for his birthday. I always thought of something last minute, as would probably be the case for this year, too.

Along with the mess of preparations, Alex and I had gotten closer. Between that first kiss we'd shared in my bedroom after I'd taught him a little bit on playing the guitar to the long walks down through the palace holding hands, I'd never felt more complete with a person apart from Drake; though, even with Drake, there was still a part missing because of his love with Adam and the fact that he wasn't mine. But with Alex, it was like we were the only two people in the world. We had come to understand each other more than we thought we ever would. We learned things about each other that drew the ties that connected our hearts even tighter.

I remember after the first time we kissed, when we were just cuddling together in my room, that he'd told me the story of his supposed-death. The fact that he had not died but had been drugged, like I had been, into a comatose state, and while he'd been thought to be taken to be mummified and lowered into a tomb, he was really taken to a small house on the outskirts of the market. The market, of all places!

When he mentioned Brad's name in the mess of his faked-death and abuse, I felt chills run down along the nerves of my body, making me shake with a sudden cold fear. I had expected that Drake and Anna had not been Brad's first victims, because he'd been practiced and careful. But Alex? _Alex_? Had Alex been where Brad started his insanity or had there been others before him?

The day after, on a walk through the gardens, I'd confided in Alex about my home life leading up to being brought to the palace, and how my family had been all but too happy to see me taken away when they couldn't— or wouldn't, I wasn't sure— pay their taxes. And all because I'd been caught being intimate with another man when they were setting me up to be married in a few months time. I told him how I didn't have much care for my family beyond that point, with the exception of my sister, Lisa. I told him I missed her dearly.

Even still, the days began to drift away as Adam's thirty-fourth birthday approached with each new dawn and dusk. I remembered wandering down the halls one day, late in the afternoon, when Alex came to me with a perturbed look on his face. He was biting his lip and looking a little afraid at first, and when he saw me his face had paled a little and he seemed unsure of something. I asked him what was wrong and he took a moment, taking a deep breath before speaking.

"You know that Adam's birthday is coming up, yes?" He inquired and I raised an eyebrow, nodding once.

"Of course. Everyone in the palace talks about it, how could I forget it?" I chuckled, and Alex smiled, but it was weak, and it left me worried.

"Will you keep an open mind and trust me about what I want to do for his birthday?" Alex mumbled quietly, and I frowned softly, nodding once again.

"Of course I trust you, Alex. What's this all about?" I asked, and Alex swallowed once, reaching out to take my hands. Our fingers laced as I stared at his face as he stared at our clasped hands, speaking so gently I thought it had been a figment of my imagination.

"You know that I care about you..and that I like you a lot… And— it's crazy and I don't even know if he'll agree to it but it's an idea that's been in my head for weeks now and I—" I smiled faintly, shaking my head.

"Spit it out, Alex," I teased and Alex looked up at me, his eyes burning with something that left a burn trembling in my stomach, making me go breathless.

"I was thinking about being intimate with Drake in front of Adam…"

I remember that I didn't even really process the idea of what he'd just said. I remember that I smiled after a moment, kissing him sweetly before telling him I trusted him and that I supported his present for Adam. I remember walking off after he'd gone to find Drake to tell him of his plan and on that walk, back to my room, the reality had set itself in. The reality sunk into my mind and something gripped my heart that was unfamiliarly alien and yet frighteningly known to me all the same. It was something that left a burning pain, hot, tight, and full of confusion.

Perhaps it had been just that: confusion. Or perhaps it was something else; something that Adam had felt when he walked in on my and Drake having sex all those years ago, before he realized how in love he was with Drake. Perhaps it was jealousy.

Part of me could not blame Alex for wanting to do this with Drake for Adam, for Drake was a beautiful person inside and out and in a few days time it would be all for Adam and no one else. Part of me could not get mad because we were all lovers, in a sense. But in the mix of it all, I felt strangely hurt and cheated, almost. Like Drake, who I loved with all my heart and soul, was the one robbing me… Robbing me of being the first person to touch and love Alex since Adam, ten years ago.

I wanted to be the first. I wanted to be Alex's first since Adam and I was being cheated of it and I wasn't going to do a damn thing about it.

As it had been with Drake, I dreamed of having someone for my own. And after sharing that first kiss with Alex, I dreamed that that someone was Alex and only Alex. I couldn't have been blamed for it, either. I'd been the one who taught Drake to kiss and trust and I wanted to do the same for Alex. I wanted to be the one who taught him to accept and relearn the touch of love and compassion and not the sting of hurt and pain.

After that, I'd found myself wandering down the hall, making my way towards the doors that would lead out to the garden. I needed some time to think and understand that once again the person I wanted the most would not be mine for the first time… I didn't want to be in such a sour mood, but it was hard to get over the fact that I felt like I was being treated like the youngest child, always being given the things that had been claimed by someone else before. I shook my head at that, though. Alex was not some hand-me-down that was being haggishly tossed to me, unwanted. He was a grown man making his own choices. He wasn't even mine. We weren't even really…

Biting my lip, I sighed softly, turning a corner and walking down the corridor towards the doors. I heard the patter of footsteps behind me but I paid no notice until someone fell in step beside me, all too familiar in the swagger of his walk and his generally alluring presence. He was dressed in a pair of white and gold trimmed trousers that cut off and curled around his knees, a pair of worn leather sandals strapped to his feet. His hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, the end of it swishing against the middle of his back, just past his shoulders. The length of it made me realize just how long Adam's hair had gotten, and that he was, no doubt, in need of a cut sometime soon.

We walked in silence for a moment, my arms swinging at my sides, Adam's hands clasped together behind his back, pulling the muscles of his arms and shoulders back into warm, imposing lines. We cut through the large wooden doors and out into the cool heat of the late afternoon, the sun blazing down in its sinking light. The trees and plants casted deep, warm shadows across the paved stones and sands, pleasantly ominous in their presence. Sculptures stood proud and tall of the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, hands and faces praising up to the sky to worship Ra above us.

"It comes to my attention that we have not spent time together, just the two of us, in quite a long while," Adam finally commented after a minute or so, his voice clear and refreshing like spring, serene in its tone. I smiled softly, but I stayed silent and I only nodded once to him. "This saddens me, Tommy. We used to talk all the time. All day long, sometimes. Just us and no one else."

I chuckled softly, looking up and over at him. "We talked because we weren't in love, Adam. We talked because you were not preoccupied with love and such stressing politics. You are in love, now, and you are married. Things have changed, Adam. That is why we do not talk anymore," I explained to him, never once looking away from him as our pace slowed some. Adam smiled softly, looking up into the pink and red sky, the free wisps of his midnight hair flaming like a brilliant blue in the sun, the tan of his skin like baked wheat.

"Perhaps. I was never married before this year. No matter how much I desired it," Adam sighed softly, but showed nothing in his face but contentment.

"Aren't you glad you waited, though?" I teased, nudging hid arm as we walked. Adam laughed out, his shoulders shaking lightly as his chest rumbled with the roar like a summer thunder, and I beamed at him.

"Yes," he admitted after he calmed down enough to speak again, "though.. Pardon me, Tommy, but I feel as if because of my marriage to Drake you have been erased from large parts of our lives entirely," he said sadly, and I shook my head some.

"Adam, don't say that. It's not like because you got married that I've been kicked out. Being married puts a whole new weight on your life. I'm still here, I'm just not part of your bedroom life anymore," I said, smirking softly as I palmed a hand over his arm. Adam nodded once, but he still looked a little upset. "Besides, it's okay. I don't need to be involved with everything you and Drake do, anyways. All that I could ever ask for has already been given to me, and I am content with the life I have every day."

Adam eyed me for a moment before a quirky smile spread its way across his lips and he shook his head slowly as we came to a stop beside a large fountain— the one he and Drake got married by. Adam and I sat down on the edges, turned towards one another. I smiled softly at him as he spoke gently to me.

"I should have expected such an answer from you, Tommy. You are always one to take what is given to you and make it work in the best possible way," I blushed faintly, looking away from Adam.

"Well, I try anyway," I chuckled softly.

"But aren't you lonely? I mean… I know you love Drake and I know you haven't been able to spend time with him between you being sick and then my getting better," again, Adam looked sad and I shook my head, chuckling softly as Alex's face popped into my mind.

"I won't lie, it's been hard being so distant from you and Drake, but it's not all bad anymore. I—" I paused, blushing lightly and Adam smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"You what, Tommy?" He inquired, and I smiled shyly.

"I am not lonely. Actually… I.. I believe I may have found the person I have been wanting and waiting for since Drake.. It's a long shot, but…" I trailed off, smiling brightly and Adam laughed quietly.

"If I may, who?" The resilient blush of mine deepened some and I refused to look at Adam as I spoke, my voice so quiet it was softer than the gentlest whisper.

"Forgive me.. But.. I.. It's Alex.." Out of my peripheral I saw Adam's face go into that of shock and awe, almost, for the longest time. I feared that I'd done something wrong, when I shouldn't have because he was happier than ever with Drake. But the fear washed away into relief when Adam broke out into the biggest, shit-eating grin I'd ever seen in my life.

"You and Alex, huh?" Adam teased and I blushed even more, turning away from Adam. He cooed at me, pulling me close to press a kiss to my cheek, running his fingers through my hair. I looked back at him and smiled sheepishly, nodding once.

"And does he express the same interest in you?" Adam asked and I smiled softly, nodding once.

"I believe so… I.. I hope so. I mean.. If he kisses me and holds my hand and is always so happy to be around me, then that means he feels the same way for me, right?" I wondered, looking over at Adam, and he just laughed and grinned some more.

"Yes. Alex's has always been an affectionate individual, but I know that if he appears so at peace when he's with you, then it's real," Adam assured me and it was my turn to grin.


	53. Don't Question That This Boy's a Ten

**Chapter Fifty-Two: Don't Question That This Boy's a Ten  
Alex's POV**

Today was Adam's thirty-fourth birthday and I had to be honest, I was nervous for the events to come. Drake told me that he'd gone out the day before to buy robes, but he wanted me to make sure they were what I was talking about. He hid them from Adam in the bottom of his wardrobe and, from the mischievous grin on Drake's face when we spoke, briefly, before breakfast; he'd been depriving Adam of sex for a few days now. Probably since he got that tattoo on his thigh, considering that was, one, still healing, and two, a birthday present for the king.

Drake wished Adam a happy birthday at the beginning of breakfast, giving him a loving, chaste kiss before taking his seat next to the king. I could have sworn Adam moaned just at Drake's lips contacting his. Obviously, Drake hadn't been putting out much… The thought was exciting and, at the same time, humorous. Adam was addicted to sex, I was almost sure, so him not having for as long as he'd been deprived was comical.

Breakfast was lively and enjoyable. Even Eric, Drake's brother who never talked much, actually said a few things today. But, as all good things do, breakfast had to come to an end. Drake made his way to the door, nodding with his head for me to follow him, but Adam beat me to the boy.

"Where are you going, baby?" Adam asked, a little bit of a pout forming along his lower lip. I have to give Adam credit; he had the whole pouting thing down.

Drake turned to press a kiss into Adam's lips. "I have a few last minute things to get done for your birthday present, baby," he said, smiling that I'm-so-fucking-cute-and-innocent-you-have-no-choice-but-to-love-and-believe-me smile. "It'll only take a little while. We're having an early dinner, and afterwards…" I could see the sinful pang of lust well in his ocean eyes for just a moment, "…afterwards, I'm all yours, but I need to finish your gift, alright?"

Adam continued to pout, but Drake just pressed another kiss to his lips. "Stop your pouting. Begging isn't a good look for a Pharaoh," Drake teased, painting a nice, soft blush across Adam's face. "Unless we're in the bedroom… Then it's a wonderful look." With that as his closing statement and a lust-filled smirk, Drake turned and left the room, waiting for me to follow, I was sure.

Roza came over to Adam, embracing him like he were her child and I took that distraction to slip out of the dining hall to join Drake in the hall. "You're such a tease, you know that?" I asked, pressing a gentle kiss to Drake's cheek. He smiled sheepishly, taking my hand in his and pulling me down the hall before he said anything.

"Yes well, I did learn from the best. Adam kind of turned me into a sexual deviant, just like him," he muttered, blushing softly.

"What do you mean?" I asked, still teasing him. Teasing the boy was just too much fucking fun, to be honest, but I knew the teasing coin had two sides and he would get me back for it later.

"I mean, I was pretty innocent until Adam got his hands on me. He turned me into this, really," he stated, like he was pleading his innocence. In a very sexual way, he was.

"You can't possibly mean that you were a-"

"A virgin? Yes, actually, I was," Drake muttered. "Adam was my first. I hadn't so much as kissed someone before the day Adam decided to keep me in his palace. He stole my first kiss and my virginity all in the same day." To my surprise, Drake wasn't even blushing. He wasn't embarrassed to talk about that day in the slightest.

"Did you instantly fall in love with him?" I asked, merely curious. Adam told me a lot about their love and the past three years, but he'd never, truly, described to me just how Drake fell in love. Maybe Adam didn't really know all the details, but I was interested.

"Well… No, not really. I'll be the first to admit that the sex was amazing, even if it left me in pain for days, but Adam terrified me at first. I was so afraid of him; I clung to Tommy for weeks. But it didn't take me long to fall for Adam, trust me. He was just… He was too perfect not to fall for him," he explained, pulling me into his and Adam's bedroom. He had me sit on the edge of their giant bed, one that I was only too familiar with and Drake walked over to the wardrobe. "But Adam wouldn't admit his feelings for me for quite some time… Because he didn't know if he loved me for me or for my resemblance to you…"

I frowned. "I'm sorry, baby…" I whispered. "I wish Adam didn't wait so long. You're a fantastic boy… Man," I corrected, smiling at him. He smiled over his shoulder before dropping to one knee to dig through the bottom of his wardrobe. My mind painted a really nice image of Drake on his knees for a completely different reason. I had to suppress the moan wanting to rip its way out of my throat. Fuck this boy was such a damned tease.

"I hope these are what you're talking about…" he said, pulling two silk robes from the wardrobe, one a greenish blue and one crimson, like Drake's hair. "It was hard to tell without actually putting them on, and I didn't really have much time to try them on and judge their appearance." He held them out to me and I really couldn't fight the smirk.

"Model it for me, Drake. I won't be able to see it on myself," I told him. He blushed, but pulled his top off and pulled the red robe on. It matched his hair and his blush perfectly and the robe molded to his body just like it was supposed to, draping off of his shoulders and tied loosely around his waist, making a very easy access to his body. The robes went down right around his ankles and he looked completely gorgeous. He'd be better once he wasn't wearing those shorts anymore.

"Perfect, Drake, absolutely perfect," I told him, walking over to him and kissing him gently on the lips. He moaned quietly, still blushing and I took his hands in mine. "Let's go bathe, pretty ourselves up and go to dinner."

Drake smirked, his blush fading. "Mmhm, sounds like you want more than just sex tonight, huh baby?" he asked, taking my hand in one of his and grabbing the other robe. He pulled me over to the private bathroom attached to their bedroom. Cassidy, I was sure, was keeping Adam busy, so he wouldn't be wandering back here anytime soon. Drake closed the door behind us and hung the blue robe up on a hook. He took his off and hung it up as well.

He smiled at me and walked over to the massive tub, turning the knobs to fill it with water and he sprinkled something into the water to make it bubble. I couldn't really help but stare at the curve of his body and how he moved. He was so beautiful and all of his inkings looked like they were shining against his skin. His hands disappeared down his front and a moment later, his shorts slid down his hips and legs, leaving himself completely bare.

He turned to look at me from over his shoulder and he blushed wildly. "You're staring at me," he said and a blush swept across my face.

"I… I'm sorry, it's just… Well, you're beautiful, to be completely blunt about it," I said honestly. "I can't really help myself…"

Drake smirked a little, turning to me fully and walking over to me, his hands starting to undress me. "Well then, let me see you, because you must be just as beautiful," he said, ghosting a kiss against my jaw line. I helped him undress me and we slipped into the tub all in the matter of seconds. I wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling his back against my chest. "Let me clean you, alright?" I whispered into his ear, pulling a bar of soap into the water, lathering it up.

I took my time with Drake, cleaning him thoroughly and washing his hair. When my hands roamed to his knees and up into the insides of his thighs, he moaned, shivering and spreading his legs for me a little. His head was pressed into my shoulder, his face turned away from me, exposing a highway of neck.

Biting my lip, I drew my fingers up his thighs, cleaning him slowly. His tattoo had healed rather nicely, but when my fingers brushed over the scars Brad left with that fucking knife, he went a little stiff. I knew his pain too well and I kissed his neck gently, running my fingers over the smooth scars poking out of his little amount of baby fat he had. Drake whimpered quietly, shaking in my arms despite the warmth of the water.

"Shh, it's all right, baby," I whispered, dragging my fingers up to his groin. Drake gasped, bucking into my touch and moaning. I could feel him growing a little hard, but nothing close to a full erection. "Clean me off, alright baby?" I muttered into his ear, dragging a wet kiss against the side of his neck, nipping it gently. He shuddered a little, his eyes fluttering shut in pleasure. "Guess depriving Adam of sex had started to back fire on you, huh?" I teased and he blushed a little, but he was in too much pleasure to give a damn about being embarrassed.

"It… hasn't been great for me, that's for sure," he said, moaning quietly. "I think I'm too used to having sex all the time… Damn Pharaoh…" I chuckled softly, pressing another kiss to his neck.

I enjoyed teasing him, but we eventually did get cleaned and dressed. Drake did my makeup to match the blue robe and I did the same for his red one. We didn't wear anything underneath them. Our makeup was done to perfection, Eye of Horus around my left eye and his right. His eyes were dusted a smoky red and mine were a sea green. He wore deep cherry gloss on his lips while mine were painted a subtle, soft pink. His hair was shaped perfectly around his face into velvety curtains, while mine hung loosely, the way I always wore it for Adam. Surely we were quite a sight to be had.

"Shall we go to dinner, My King?" I asked, offering Drake my arm. He looped his through mine, putting his other hand on my upper arm, like I was his spouse and he was my wife. Well, he would have pulled it off quite nicely if he weren't rolling his eyes, at least.

"Not you too…" he groaned, pouting a little as I tugged him out of the bathroom and out of the room entirely.

"Well, you are a king, Drake," I told him.

"But I don't-" He stopped mid sentence, that lustful glint flickering back into his eyes. "Wait, I forgot something," he said, tugging me back into the bedroom. He pushed me down to sit on the bed and then got down on his knees for the second time that day. I chewed on the inside of me cheek to remain silent as he dug for something under the bed. He pulled out a small box and opened it. "Close your eyes, please, Alex," he said softly, but I knew more than anything that it was a command and not a request.

I did as I was told and I heard the box close before being pushed back under the bed. Drake shifted so he was right in front of me and if we weren't about to head to dinner, I would have sworn he was about to swallow my being whole. Why else kneel down directly in front of someone? "Spread your thighs for me," he whispered and I moaned, doing as I was told again.

Drake's strong hands (from sculpting, duh, perverts) wandered up my thighs and once he reached my groin, he slid a single finger into me. Gasping, I clenched around the digit, pulling it deeper and throwing my head back. Was it obvious that I hadn't been touch in such a manner in quite some time? "D-Drake…" I moaned, choking on a breath as he pulled the finger out, just to shove it back in again. He repeated this a few times before slipping in a second finger, scissoring me gently.

"You're so tight, Alex…" he groaned, opening me up but never actually hitting that spot that drove me wild.

"I haven't had sex in quite a while…" I admitted, whimpering when he pulled his fingers out, but the feel of something smooth and rounded hushed me up. The only too familiar feel of a jeweled plug replaced Drake's fingers. He positioned it expertly, so any time I moved or twisted a certain way, it stabbed into that spot and forced a needy moan from my lips. I could only imagine Adam used this on Drake a lot, that's why he knew exactly where to put it.

"I'd like you to keep this in through dinner, alright?" he asked me, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips. I moaned, whimpering softly, but who was I to deny the Pharaoh's husband what he wanted? I couldn't, so I simply nodded and tried not to let the fact that a plug was pressed up tight into me, and that it would, no doubt, be noticeable to anyone.

Drake let the side of his thigh hang out a little, teasingly really. I knew he was doing it on purpose. He was going to torture Adam and myself throughout dinner, I was almost sure. He took me, slowly, into the dining hall, where everyone else was already seated. Meals hadn't been served yet. I assumed they were waiting for the Pharaoh's spouse to show up.

When Adam's eyes landed on us, sin flickered through them, turning his normally bright blue eyes a dark, lust filled, and almost black color. He remembered these robes all right. Drake took his seat next to Adam, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek and wishing him another happy birthday, but I could see the robe hanging off his thigh, splitting like a skanky dress all the way up to his hip, but everything Adam would really want to get to was hidden by the silk.

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from moaning both at the plug and what a fucking tease Drake was. Ra, that boy was going to be the death of us all.


	54. Love Shrine, Break the Taboo

**Chapter Fifty-Three: Love Shrine, Break the Taboo**

**Adam's POV**

All the days leading up to my birthday, I had wanted nothing more than to make sweet, passionate love with Drake, even if it was only once before the day. And every night, every advance, every attempt, he blew me off with a chaste kiss, whispering "not yet" into my mouth and my skin, leaving me yearning and denied. Always, at night, when he slept he was clothed. Drake hadn't clothed himself in sleep in years. Was this to make sure that if I tried to advance on him at night, when he was sleeping, that he would wake and stop me?

Perhaps. Clever little fuck.

The constant denial was making me antsy and needy. In some instances I was so driven with need I had an urge to drag Drake down by his crimson red hair to our bedroom and just fuck him senseless on the stairs that led down to our marriage bed. But every time that urge boiled in my skin, he would flash me one of those beautiful, innocent and bashful smiles from when he was just a boy, brought to my palace, and I would give in and wait.

I was tired of waiting.

The morning of my birthday, I awoke to find that Drake was already gone, no doubt awake and making last minute preparations. I groaned quietly, pulling myself from the comforts of our denied bed, too warm and empty of love for it to be of any true comfort to me right now. I dressed quickly and combed out my hair, letting it hang around my face as I made my way down to the dining hall for breakfast. Drake was there before me, and he gave me a chaste kiss that left me already slightly aroused. When your boy doesn't put out, even the smallest things turn you on. Like sweet little baby-kisses…

Breakfast went by faster than I wanted it to. Everyone was talking and laughing and wishing me a happy birthday. Alex commented on how old I was and I had to remind him that he wasn't far behind me, only a few short months. Even Eric was talking now and then, seeming to have a good time. But I kept catching glances that he threw at Drake. Glances that were filled with remorse and hurt, but no matter how many he threw Drake's way, Drake never looked at him. Not once.

Drake slipped through my fingers with soft, chaste kisses on my lips, telling me he needed to finish my birthday present before he could be with me. A weight settled over my heart as my mo— Roza— wrapped her arms around me in a warm, serene hug, wishing me a soft and wonderful happy birthday. I smiled and thanked her, watching Alex slip out of the dining hall, no doubt to follow Drake. What were those two up to?

"Adam," Cassidy said, coming to my side. He was dressed in a pair of dark grey trousers and a matching vest, showing off his recently re-inked tattoos on his hips. Hiei was at his side, sporting the same tattoos, and I smiled at them both. To see that they had committed themselves to one another was like a great blessing from the Gods. I had feared for Cassidy that he would never find love again after Brad, and to see the happiness that Hiei brought him was so refreshing. It made me wonder why I had doubted letting the boy stay in the first place, those months ago.

"How does it feel to be thirty-four?" Cassidy asked me and I sighed, smiling warmly at him and Hiei again.

"To be honest? It makes me feel ancient, especially when I look at Drake and remember he's only twenty-one.." I said with a soft chuckle, trailing off as they both grinned gently at me. "But it's alright. It's another day, another year. It really stopped meaning anything after I turned thirty," I admitted and Cassidy nodded once.

"Understandable. Just wait until you reach forty and fifty, though, Adam. Then you'll _really_ start to feel old," Cassidy joked and I rolled my eyes as Tommy came to our sides.

"Oh, don't even, Cassidy. I don't want to think about what I'll look like when I'm that old," Tommy smirked at my remark.

"I'm sure you'll look the same, Adam. Just a few more slight wrinkles, some graying of the hair. You know, from all that hard work of being a Pharaoh and fucking someone who's over a decade younger than you," I blushed deeply, refusing to look at him.

"Just don't wear yourself out trying to keep up with him," Hiei piped in, smirking warmly at me and I eyed him before laughing softly, looking over at Cassidy.

"He has some bite. I wonder, did he learnt that from you?" Cassidy's cheeks flamed a soft pink and he smiled, pulling Hiei a little closer to him.

"I believe he got it before he met me, Adam. I guess being a bit of a delinquent does that to you," Cassidy smirked down at Hiei, and the boy pouted deeply, nudging my advisor's side.

"I'm not a delinquent!" He whined, and Cassidy nodded once, kissing him sweetly as if to say "I know". I smiled at them as Tommy rested his hand on my lower back, leaning over to press a kiss to my cheek.

"I never wished you a proper happy birthday, Adam, and I'm sorry for that. So," he said, standing on his toes to peck my mouth with his gently, smiling brightly at me, "happy birthday." I laughed softly, nodding once.

"Thank you, Tommy. That means a lot to me," I told him, a smile tugging at my lips. Tommy raised a finger, telling me to wait for a moment as he crossed to the table, gathering up a stack of papers I hadn't noticed before. He walked back towards me, a small blush gracing his cheeks as he looked up at me.

"I.. I originally made this for Drake as a thank you for the mural he made for me years ago, but.. I think I want to give this to you. Maybe you can sing it for us one day," Tommy said, holding out the stack to me. They were on clean, white paper, printed in hand written black ink and tied with a red ribbon. I noticed, immediately, that it was sheet music. Music in Tommy's handwriting. And lyrics, too. Some of the most beautiful lyrics I'd ever read.

The top of the first page read the title "Aftermath", with a beautifully composed guitar into, and the words written in a range all too perfect for me. I smiled softly, tears welling up in my eyes as I looked back up at Tommy, pulling him into my arms for an embrace. His arms linked around my neck and shoulders as mine curved around his hips, and I pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Thank you, Tommy. It's beautiful." Tommy grinned softly, leaving a kiss on my lips.

"I'm glad you like it," he said and I saw Hiei come up to me in my peripheral.

"Speaking of gifts… I.. here, My Pharaoh," Hiei said, holding out a small box to me. I glanced at him for a moment, smiling softly as I took the box from his hand, lifting the lid off of it gingerly to peer inside. Tucked in the folds of black velvet was an earring of a Goddess with her arms outstretched, fading off into wings. Connected to a small loop by her legs was a chain of four or five small links, and a beautifully painted Eye of Horus against the red of the sun dangling down. I smiled, tracing my finger against the detailed work of the earring, before looking up at Hiei.

"Thank you. It's beautiful.." I said, trailing off. Hiei blushed lightly, looking away.

"Drake helped me paint it.. I.. I added the sun with the Eye of Horus to it. Originally it was just the Goddess, but I thought it was only fitting to have a little something more, since you are Pharaoh, after all.." I chuckled, leaning forward to press a kiss to Hiei's forehead. His skin heated up almost immediately and the blush that painted his face was faint because of his skin color, but I knew that if he were pale like Drake, he'd be as red as my lover's hair.

"I love it," I told him, reaching up to my left ear, plucking the earring that I had there free, replacing it with the gifted earring. It fit perfectly, and Hiei smiled with pride and almost awe. "Thank you, again," I said, and he nodded once.

The time between lunch and dinner seemed to drag on for forever. The only thing that could have possibly made it any longer was if I'd had to deal with politics and business, and fortunately I didn't. But, even still, I wanted to go down and find out where Drake and Alex had gone, but Cassidy kept me rooted in places away from my chambers. In fact, he kept me away from that half of the palace in general. I tried not to let it bother me, but I was curious.

At some point, though, conversing with Drake's siblings and Tommy managed to hold my attention for the time that was spent waiting. We all stayed gathered up in the dining hall for the most part. Small, snack-like foods were brought out along with different wines as well as water, for the younger ones. Hayden and Jonah ended up running off after a while to go play since the topics of conversation gradually became more and more adult. And it got boring for them, so they left, of which I was thankful, because not long after they left it got inappropriate.

Hiei's earring dangled from my ear in a strange, unfamiliar and yet comforting way and I kept noticing how the boy was practically glued to Cassidy's hip. But he was no longer afraid to speak out to give his own opinion. I guess since being brought here, his view of me had changed. It was not uncommon of people to be bashful and quiet around me upon first meeting me. I was Pharaoh, after all. But the longer they got to know me, the more they understood that I didn't mind, and that I valued opinion. Even if it went against my own.

Wine was drunk and food was nibbled and chewed on. There wasn't really much of a lunch because of the breakfast that came a little later than normal and the dinner that would be coming earlier than any of the other three hundred and sixty four days of the year. It was strange, but it was comforting. Well, for most. It wasn't comforting for me in the slightest, for I kept looking at the clock and at the sun through the windows of the hall as I watched the hours slip by, and still Alex and Drake had not returned.

I tried to keep my focus on my family and friends. I tried to stay truly in-tune with the conversations, but Drake was like my energy source. Without him, I was drained and unmotivated. I felt tired without him. And I didn't want to feel tired or alone on my birthday. In truth, all I had wanted for my birthday was to have everything like our wedding night. Endless hours of love making and kissing and cuddling and nothing more. Not parties or talking or anything. Just me and Drake..

But he had promised me, this morning at breakfast. He had promised me that after dinner tonight, he would be all mine and I could do anything and everything I wanted to him. And I had every intention of making Drake pay for making me wait this last few days to have my way with him. I'd had it all planned in my head… I would tie him to our bed, tease him and kiss him, lick him all over and I was making goals in my head. I would make him come at least two or three times…

My thoughts were interrupted when the dinner bell was sounded through the hall. Roza, Eric, Amalia, Jonah and Hayden— the boys had rushed back after a serving boy when to look for them— took their seats along the side of the table to my right, with Cassidy and Hiei seated side by side next to them and me. Tommy sat along the side of the table to my left, in the second seat. The first was open, as well as the one at the head of the table and to my left, waiting for Alex and Drake's appearances. I frowned softly, talking quietly with Cassidy and Hiei while we waited, which turned out to be not long at all.

When the doors opened and I looked up, I had a vague idea of what to expect, and what I got was something entirely different all together. Alex and Drake came in side by side, looking like twins with their makeup and hair done up to match what they were wearing as well as complimenting one another. They looked like fire and water. Alex, with his blue and green robes and his sea green eye makeup and his left eye painted with the Eye of Horus. Their arms were looped together, and Drake walked by his left side, adorned in crimson robes to match his hair and his makeup. Red, smoky shadow and thick black liner, as well as a brilliantly deep red stain on his lips, an Eye painted around his right.

The robes were familiar, and looking upon them sent me more than ten years ago to when Alex had been my servant and lover. They were identical, almost, to the robes that he had worn as my servant, hanging loose and open around the shoulders and billowing like smoke around the legs, shining in their silk and embroidering. I felt a twitch, a rush of excitement beneath my trousers and I stared as they came close to me, each wearing smirk on his face.

"Happy birthday, Adam," they said in unison, Alex leaving a kiss on my cheek before taking his seat next to Tommy. My eye caught the long, lithe line of Drake's body, and the fact that the robe was split along the side, exposing his thigh as he walked, all the way up to his hip. Drake bent down, pressing a warm, open-mouthed kiss to my cheek, lingering a touch longer than Alex as he sat beside me, his thigh still exposed and toned beneath the lip of the table.

It took all my strength not to pull Drake away and fuck him just around the corner from the dining hall. It took all my strength and will and common sense not to rip his robe away and mark him in front of our friends and family. I wanted to, so badly. To see my lover, my husband, my Drake dressed in robes that Alex had worn when we'd been in love… To see him dolled up and looking, truly, like a God himself.. it nearly brought me to my undoing, alone.

Dinner was brought out in steaming piles upon platters and in bowls of silver and china, set neatly before us before being dished out. Wine filled our cups as the savory smells of meats, vegetables and other delicacies wafted around the room, teasing and taunting us with their flavor. Drake reached over nonchalantly, taking my left hand and bringing it down to his thigh, holding it there for a moment before moving his own away. The pause of his hand on mine told me that my hand was to stay here and go nowhere else.

Fuck you, Drake.

I bit down on my lip, digging into the first course of my dinner as everyone started talking with one another. I kept noticing that every time Alex moved, his face looked temporarily crossed with pleasure. Tommy eyed him warily now and then but he always shook his head and smiled, though his eyes betrayed that he was aroused and needy. He kept shooting glances at Drake, but my lover never returned them. Or, if he did, I never paid attention.

The warmth of Drake's thigh beneath my palm, quivering so slightly every time he moved just an inch made me nearly lose it. I nearly lost my control every time. I knew that all I had to do was pull my hand away, but I couldn't find it within me to do so. I couldn't force myself to pull away, but I wasn't allowed to move any closer, either. I was stuck, and I wasn't sure if I really liked it or not.

Half way through the second course, I saw a delicate blush across Alex's face that refused to fade away, and he shifted every now and then, his eyes faintly fluttering with pleasure. I wasn't sure what, exactly, Drake had done to him, but I could only imagine that this evening was not going to turn out quite the way I had imagined that it would. And I had just swallowed my last bite with a wash of wine when Drake stood from the table, forcing me to drop my hand as his robe slipped shut. He muttered a gentle "excuse me" before starting to walk away.

Alex, who was blushing like a tomato, sat frozen in his seat with his cup of wine clenched in his hand as Drake palmed a hand onto his shoulder, leaning down to whisper something into his ear. My eyes watched Drake's red lips, but I couldn't see what he was saying, only that Alex's face took on a recognition of something and he nodded once, muttering the same two words Drake had spoken before standing, walking with Drake out of the dining hall.

"Where do they keep going?" Cassidy asked after a few moments. I frowned softly, staring down the line of the table, loaded with food and drink, at the wooden doors of the dining hall entrance.

"I haven't the slightest clue. But I know they're up to something, and I'll be damned if I don't figure it out sooner or later," I told him, pushing my empty plate and drink away. Several pairs of eyes locked on me, but no one made a sound for a moment.

"What are you going to do?" Tommy asked. I glanced at him briefly before staring back up at the door.

"I'm going to go find out what they're doing," I mumbled, before turning my attention to everyone else, "Thank you for sharing this meal with me. I apologize that I cannot stay, however it would appear my husband and friend have something else planned. I bid you a fond goodnight, and I will see you in the morning," I said cheerily, making my way around the table and down towards the doors, pushing them open and slipping out into the hallway.

There wasn't anyone around, which often would have been construed as strange, however most servants had taken the rest of the day off and those who were still working had business in other places than the more public grounds such as this. Biting down on my bottom lip, I glanced left and right, trying to determine which way to go when I looked to my left, swearing that I saw a flash of red darting around the corner at the end.

Taking off, I rushed down in a sort of hurried walk that began to bleed itself into a fast jog. I didn't want to risk losing them in the vastness of the palace, but something told me that they weren't going to let me lose them. That they were waiting, lingering and leading me to wherever it was they wanted me to be. And if that was the case, then I was only too happy to play with their little game as long as I got them both in the end…

Rounding the corner, I stared down the hall. There was only one other turn at the end of this and it was to the left, towards the throne room. Was that where they were going? My throne room? I took a step forward as a thought came to me. A memory that seemed like ages ago when in truth it hadn't been so long… _A memory of Drake nestled into my lap, on my throne, the two of us sharing a passionate kiss as his hands tangled themselves into my hair, tugging hard and pulling a groan from my lips…_

Shivering, I hurried down the long stretch of hallway, turning sharply to the left to see that the large doors that led into the throne room were mostly closed, but there was a small crack, allowing as a sort of peephole into the massive room. My heart thundered in my chest and my throat closed up as I inhaled slowly, taking cautious steps towards the doors.

Through the thin crack I could make out two shapes, both adorned in their robes. Red was washed against the gold of my throne and I knew that Drake was seated there. Stepping closer, I peered through the crack, but I did not push the doors open yet. Drake sat there with his hands on the arms, his hands relaxed on the gold and jewel embedded ends. His robe was undone at the front, revealing the glory of his beautiful creamy body, and erection curving tall along his stomach. His arms were still clothed by the sleeves, and the fabric pooled and gathered around his hips and his legs, rushing off the end like a waterfall.

Alex stood before him at the base of the stairs, his frame trembling as he fiddled with the tie before his robe slid from his body, falling in a pool of blue and green at his feet. His body was still toned and strong like I remembered, but there were scars here and there that I could only imagine Brad had left in him. Scars on his back and his legs, looking thin and light in spots and thick and deep in others. My heart clenched but, like Drake, there was something beautiful about the scars.. Like these little imperfections made them all the more beautiful…

Drake beckoned Alex forward, and the brunette took slow, rigid steps forward. Watching him walk and climb the stairs, I caught the glint of something shining between his thighs and I nearly dropped to my knees in pleasure. Drake had put a plug into him. That was why he was so flustered and constantly shifting at dinner..

"Drake..baby, I—" Alex whimpered as Drake leaned forward, pulling him up onto the throne. Alex's knees were on either side of Drake's thighs as he knelt on Drake's lap. I moaned behind the doors, wanting to push forward and go to them, but something told me not yet.

"Shh, I know, Alex.. I know.." Drake said to him, reaching down to toy with the plug. Alex's back arched and he threw his head back, crying out and pressing himself up against Drake. I moaned, cupping myself through my trousers behind the door, breathing hard as excitement boiled through my blood.

"Baby, it hurts, please.. please, Drake…" Biting down on my bottom lip, I had to stifle my moans as Drake pulled the plug from within Alex, and I watched my old lover jerk and lean heavily upon my husband. Drake tossed the plug aside and I watched it clatter down the stairs, slicked and gleaming in the light of the throne room before it came to a stop at the base of the stairs, off to the left. Discarded and forgotten.

"Relax, Alex.. Relax, baby. I've got you.. Oh, come here," Drake moaned, tucking a finger under Alex's chin, kissing him gently as Alex shifted closer, wrapping his arms around Drake's neck. My eyes widened as Drake's arm curled around Alex's waist, lifting him up a little before his dick prodded into Alex. I watched as Alex sunk down onto him, Drake's length disappearing slowly, agonizingly slow into him…

A moment later, Drake began to fuck Alex on my throne..


	55. The Fire Went Wild

**Chapter Fifty-Four: I Fell for You Like a Child, Oh, But the Fire Went Wild  
Drake's POV**

Throughout dinner, I had to hide the smirk that kept playing at my lips. Between Alex's constant blush (as a result of my doing, I might add) and Adam throwing me needy, lustful looks, I couldn't help but be a little smug and, not to brag or anything, but I did know I looked fantastic at the moment. Maybe I looked a little skanky, but it wasn't any worse than anything else in my wardrobe, really. I was just… overworking my sexuality, that's all.

Dinner, I knew, was like sexual torture for Adam. I could see the lust boiling in his eyes. He wanted to rip my robes open and fuck me senseless. I couldn't blame him. I had been rather selfish in bed lately. Every single advance he made, I shot down. We hadn't had sex in a week, give or take a few days, and it was starting to get to him. To be completely honest and open, it was starting to get to me too, but I knew what was in store for the night.

Adam didn't have a clue, the poor little fuck… Ra, I was so mean to him.

The sexual tension of the room was ignored by almost everyone, though. Adam, Alex and Tommy were the only ones who really seemed to notice, Adam for obvious reasons. He was horny and he wanted sex more than he normally did, if that was possible. Alex simply because I decided to be a bitch and plug him. Every time he shifted, his face would contort into pleasure and need. He would shoot me lust-filled glances every once in a while, but I ignored them, despite the slight arousal I was feeling. The heat from Adam's touch, Alex's eyes blown wide in ecstasy and the needy looks they both kept flashing me left me feeling a little more than needy, but unlike them, I could actually hide my sexual frustration.

In my opinion, this was all just foreplay, better than foreplay, really, but as all foreplay does, it needed to end. Alex faced me with a look that told me he simply couldn't take it anymore and I was beginning to worry that if he sat there, shifting and trying to rid himself of his blush for much longer, he would come undone right there in his robes, so I excused myself and took Alex with me, knowing very well that Adam would follow us. He was far too curious not to, but that was our plan all along, really.

I was smug about teasing Adam so much and about what Alex and I were about to do with one another, but even I wasn't ready for what was actually about to happen. When Alex had, originally, asked me about this little "birthday present" to Adam, I imagined Alex driving into me over and over again. Why would I believe anything different would happen? I'd always been the bitch in every sexual act I'd committed with someone else. Granted, I'd only had sex with two people, but I'd never dominated anyone in my life. Adam always took me. He always made sweet, sweet love to me, and the times Tommy and I did have sex he had topped me too. Sometimes, when Tommy and I were his pleasure servants, Adam would have us perform for him and there was that one time when Tommy and I… I'd rather not revisit that night. I still felt so horrible about it.

The point was, I'd never expected to be dominating, but when I pulled Alex into the throne room, he leaned over, pressing his lips to my ear, whispering for me sit on the throne with my robe undone in the front. The thought sent pleasure coils through my most naughty regions and as nervous as it made me, I didn't protest it. I didn't really have time because Adam was right behind us.

It wasn't hard to pull my robes free, leaving me completely exposed to Alex. He looked me over with hungry eyes, a soft moan falling from his lips. I didn't let it embarrass me too much, I should have been used to that kind of attention by now. Everyone looked at me the way Alex was, probably thanks to the clothing Adam had provided me with since I started living in his palace.

I perched myself on Adam's throne, looking as regal as I could manage. I'd witnessed Adam sitting on this throne hundreds of times. I had sat with him dozens since our marriage. I think I'd observed enough to pull off "the sitting". Royalty was part of my life now, whether I got used to it was a completely different story.

Alex stood before me, at the base of the golden steps leading up to the throne I sat on. Across the hall, I could make out Adam peering through the crack in the door Alex and I had entered through. We'd locked every door that lead to this room except for one and that was the one we lead Adam too, just like a mouse to its cheese. I never made eye contact with him, and when Alex managed to get the tie of his robe open, letting the ocean silk slip from his frame, my attention wasn't on Adam anymore.

Alex truly was gorgeous. The longer I stared at him, the more I realized that we really did look almost exactly the same. Alex and I were the same height, with the same basic build and bone structure. I could see the gentle scars poking out of his pale skin, the only physical reminders of his time with Brad. Seeing those scars made the insides of my thighs burn, and not because I'd gotten one tattooed a few days ago.

With the wave of my hand, Alex slowly walked up the steps towards me, leaving his robe forgotten on the floor behind him. I sat up straight, wrapping my arms around Alex's waist, pulling him into my lap. His knees straddled my hips, much like several weeks ago, after I'd asked Adam to let Hiei stay in the palace with us. I'd been in Alex's position and Adam had been in mine. Tommy had just fallen ill and we hadn't really been intimate in quite some time. We had both been needy and desperate, but we never got too far because Adam was called away to look over construction of the pyramids. At least Alex didn't need to worry about that type of intrusion.

"Drake, baby I-" Alex whimpered into my ear, his voice heavy with need. I moaned quietly, dropping a hand between us to toy with the plug I'd put into the man.

"Shh, I know, Alex… I know," I whispered into his ear as he cried out, arching against me.

"Baby, it hurts… please… Please, Drake," he whined and I curled my fingers around the plug's end, slowly pulling the toy from within Alex. He cried out, arching deeply into me as I tossed the toy away, not particularly worried about where it landed. It simply didn't matter. All that did matter was Alex and how much he needed some form of release.

"Relax, Alex… Relax baby, I've got you," I muttered, one arm snaking around the older boy's waist, pulling him closer. I tucked the index finger of my free hand under his chin, lifting it a little. "Oh… Come here," I muttered, pulling him tightly against me, kissing him deeply as my dick pushed up between his thighs, the head slipping into the tight ring of muscle that made up his ass.

When I thought about what it would feel like to fuck somebody, I kind of imagined it was like having someone suck you off, only a little tighter. Adam, and even Tommy, had taken me into their mouths before. They'd even brought me to my undoing with their lips perfectly molded around my erection, but actually being inside of someone? It wasn't even comparable.

Alex sunk down on my erection slowly and it took all my will power not to lift my hips and slam into his tight ass. If I was correct in my logic, Alex hadn't been intimate with anyone since he got away from Brad… That was quite a long time not to have sex with anyone. I felt a little bad about being his first in such a long time, but Alex didn't really seem to care. He was leaning heavily on me, his arms looped tightly around my neck.

He was tight, tighter than I really imagined. I didn't have many references, but I imagined this was probably how I felt when Adam took my virginity, three years ago. When his hips met mine, and my dick was completely shoved into him, I had to lean back against the throne, my eyes slipping shut in pleasure. Suddenly I was a little angry at Adam for never letting my dominate in our love making. Sure, Adam was the Pharaoh of Egypt and, for a long time, I was almost like his possession, but it wasn't fair that he got to fuck me all the time. It wasn't fair that he never shared this amazing feeling with me.

Gods, one day, I was going to make him pay for that.

I dropped my free arm to join the other around Alex's waist, holding him tightly against me. I, to be completely honest, was nervous about a few things, one, being completely horrible as the dominate party, and two, hurting Alex. It had been so long since he'd had sex and I wasn't, exactly, skilled in these matters. Alex never showed any signs of pain though, and when I didn't move for a minute, he whimpered and nipped my neck rather harshly. Moaning, I jerked my hips up into Alex, earning a pleasure filled wail from the brunette. His lips were parted and he came down more on my dick as I pushed up into him, moving in a mirror with me just like I had done countless times with Adam. This truly was the perfect position for lovemaking.

"Gods, Drake…" he whispered into my neck, his head pressed firmly into my shoulder. His lips left light kisses and harsh nips all over the left side of my neck and I was sure to have a few pretty bruises in the morning, everyone would just assume Adam had left them there. "More, please…" he muttered, delivering a particularly hard nip to the spot of my neck right below my earlobe. _"Please!"_

A soft moan came from somewhere in the throne room and when I looked up, I saw Adam standing several meters away from the steps leading up to his throne, his hand shoved down the front of his trousers, groping what I was sure to be a painfully throbbing hard on.

Adam looked so needy, but Alex was just as needy and I didn't let my attention dwell on Adam for more than a few seconds before I turned my head, catching Alex's lips with mine. One hand snaked up the brunette's back, tangling tightly into his chocolate locks. I slammed my hips up into his again and he cried into my lips, giving me the perfect opportunity to shove my tongue down his throat, which he greatly accepted, sucking sweetly on it. If I thought I couldn't get any harder before, I was wrong.

Thrust after thrust, Alex was crying into my lips, his blue eyes blown black with pleasure and need. His body was pressed flush tight against mine, his erection trapped between our stomachs, pre-come dripping down from the head; he was already so close to his undoing. I hadn't even hit that spot yet and I was sure, if I were to even stroke Alex, he would paint us both.

Finally Alex pulled away from our rather filthy kiss to let out a scream that sent shivers running through my spine, telling me I'd found that spot. Behind him, I could see Adam was right at the base of the steps, his trousers gathering around the midsection of his thigh and his erection palmed tightly in one hand.

"D-Drake…" Alex cried, out of breath and trying to catch it. "Fucking Ra!" he hissed into my ear, his hips connecting with mine again, my dick pressing right up into the spot that was forcing him to blush more than he was at dinner. "Please… Please, more…"

Swiveling my hips, I hit that spot again, watching as the beautiful brunette arched like an elegant bow, held by an equally elegant archer. "More what, baby?" I asked, tugging harshly on his hair, pulling his head back enough for me to mark it.

When I sank my teeth into his throat, he cried out, uncaring if someone heard him or not. The only person who probably did hear him, besides me, of course, was Adam, who was moaning quite a bit himself. Alex and I never paid him any mind. I was far too busy trying to make love to Alex. "Please… P-please touch me…" he groaned, coming down hard on my dick again. His fingers threaded into my hair, tugging roughly on it and I cried out, slamming up into him for the thousandth time that night.

I brought one hand around to trace my fingers along Alex's dick, moaning at just how hard the boy had grown. "Fuck…" I whispered, pulling on his hair with one hand as the other wrapped tightly around the boy's member. It was hard to really believe that Alex was nearly thirteen years older than me when I was the one dominating him like this. I felt powerful and, well, old…

It really only took two pumps. Alex froze, clenching his muscles tightly around my erection; the head pressed right up into that spot that drove him crazy. My name kept falling from his lips, his eyes wide and filled with sinful pleasure as his dick twitched in my hand before coming hard all over the both of us. He leaned heavily against me, seeming to be completely unable to hold himself up. I really wasn't sure what to do with myself. For a moment, I just held Alex's limp form to me, staring down at him.

When I looked up, my eyes caught Adam's nearly black ones and I could have sworn I saw my reflection in those needy orbs. Just seeing Adam look like such a bitch was enough for me. I didn't need to thrust into Alex again or touch myself, I merely came, just as hard as Alex had, into the brunette, moaning his name hot and heavy into his ear. Alex tensed around me for a moment, clenching me inside of him before he relaxed, moaning into my neck. I held him tightly, rubbing circles into his sweaty skin, but I felt completely drained. Sucks that I really wasn't anywhere close to being done with my night. I still had to please my husband. It was his birthday, after all… And I hadn't been putting out for him in quite some time. I couldn't fuck his first love and not save any for him.

My eyes stayed locked onto Adam's as he mounted the first step and slowly walked up them, coming closer and closer. My heart was icing over just a little, a tiny bit of worry that Adam might be angry lingering in the pits of my stomach, but I didn't show any fear. "Take a deep breath and hold it in, all right?" I whispered into Alex's ear. He nodded, taking in air. "Let it out when I tell you," I added, slowly started to pull out of him. "Now." He let his breath out slowly, gasping as I pulled out of him. He slumped against me, drained of energy, not that I could blame him. It was hard to get used to having sex, trust me, I would know. It took me weeks to get used to Adam fucking me all the time when I was first brought here.

Adam stopped right in front of us, his trousers around his ankles and his erection hard and flaming angry. "Hey baby…" I muttered, looking up into his sin-filled eyes. It was like watching a movie of all the things Adam wanted to do to me, or maybe to Alex or both of us, I wasn't entirely sure, me hopefully, since I was his husband, but I didn't really have any clue.

"Hey baby?" Adam muttered, his eyes wide. _"Hey baby?_ That's really all you've got to say to me?" he asked, his hand lashing out to tangle his fingers into my hair, pulling harshly. I cried softly, unwilling to admit to the rush of ecstasy pulsing to my dick. During the time of Brad, and what he did to me, I didn't really like having my hair pulled, but Adam had taught me how to love it since then…

"Get up, now," Adam growled at me, pulling on my hair again. I merely whimpered, holding onto Alex tightly. "You're both lucky that I love you… I'd whip you if you weren't my husband…" The idea of being whipped also sent blood rushing to my spent member, beginning to stiffen into half hardness.

"Then do it?" Alex muttered, lifting his head from my shoulder. I started at him, wide eyes. "Maybe you should put him in his place? He's quite a naughty bitch…"

"Alex," I growled but Adam's smirk shut me up instantly.

"Oh Alex, you have no idea how right you are, but… you've really got no room to talk," Adam muttered, pulling his hand out of my hair and pulling Alex from my arms. "You're just as filthy as he is, maybe even more so…" Alex whimpered, looking up at Adam with wide, blue and shockingly innocent eyes. "Maybe I should fuck you before Drake? Hmm?"

Alex shook his head, managing to slip from Adam's arms. He wobbled a little, probably sore from my ruthless fucking. "Sorry, Adam, but not tonight. My plans were to sleep with your husband and your husband alone. I'm not yours anymore and, tonight, you can't have me. Happy birthday, My King," Alex muttered, pressing a gentle, sweet kiss to Adam's lips before bowing to him. Adam looked stunned and shocked that Alex denied him and, in his shock, Alex snuck down the steps, gathering his robes up into his arms, wrapping himself up in them. "Good night, My Kings," he muttered, smirking at me. "I wish you a happy birthday."

Alex, you son of a bitch. He was going to leave me alone with Adam and Ra was I in for a rough night now… Fuck you, Alexander.

Adam opened his mouth, probably to protest Alex's leaving, but Alex was gone in the blink of an eye. Adam stared at the door and, for a moment, I considered taking off as well. I was still wearing the robe. I just needed to pull it closed, but I wouldn't abandon Adam on his birthday.

"You're such a little bitch, aren't you?" Adam asked, turning towards me again. "Continuously denying me your love in our marriage bed just to turn around and fuck my first love? You sneaky little son of a bitch," he growled, kneeling down in front of me, merely to wrap his arms around my waist, pulling me up against him. "How did it feel to be the dominant one? How did it feel to have someone writher because of your actions?"

"I…" That caught me off guard. Adam was trying to act like a tough bitch, but he was happy. I could see how pleased he was, mixed with the lust and something else swirling in his dark pupils. "I'm not really sure how to describe it… I didn't think Alex was going to have me fuck him…" I admitted and Adam looped his arms under my knees, picking me up bridal style.

"Feels amazing, doesn't it? I could see it in your eyes, the pleasure pulsing through your blood stream," he moaned into my ear. "Was like something you'd never felt before, right?" He nibbled on my ear lobe, pulling a soft, strangled cry from my lips. "Are you going to deny me again?"

"N-No, My Pharaoh, not tonight," I muttered, looking up at him with eyes as innocent as I could manage.

He laughed, shaking his head and slowly walking down the steps, clenching me tightly to his chest. "That 'I'm so innocent' thing is not going to work on me tonight, my love," he whispered, nipping at my ear lobe again. "You are definitely not innocent. You just proved that by fucking Alex's brains out…"

"I…" I started, blushing wildly. "It was his idea…" I said, muttering the only defense that I really had. Adam wasn't really buying it though. He merely smirked, talking me towards the door.

"Oh, now I don't believe that for a moment, my love," he muttered, pressing kiss after kiss to my neck. Adam was half naked and my robes were left open, but we didn't run into anyone in the halls. Most people had gone to bed or were still with their friends at dinner. Adam didn't seem worried about us being so exposed. I don't even believe that he really would have cared if someone did see us. "Is this why you didn't let me make love with you these last few days? To make me suffer and ache while watching you and Alex?"

"Partly…" I admitted, looking away from him. "But not completely," I added as we neared our bedroom.

"And what was your other reasoning, my love?" he asked, his tone dripping with intense need and burning want. He pushed the bedroom door open with his hip and walked inside, kicking it shut with his foot.

"I'd have to show you," I whispered into his neck, still trying to figure out if he was angry with me or if he was just pretending to be angry with me.

He laughed darkly, walking down the steps to our marriage bed and tossing me down on it. "And what, my boy, do you have to show me?" he asked, kneeling down next to me on the bed. I blushed a little, leaning against the surplus of pillows that had been on this bed since I was first brought in to be Adam's pleasure servant.

"This," I muttered, bringing my knees up close to my chest, spreading my thighs for him for the first time in a week. Adam's eyes scanned the line of my body hungrily, but they stopped on the long inking embedded into the inside of my thigh and, for a moment, his eyes softened.

"Oh Ra…" he whispered, crawling over to me, trailing his fingers against the large, oval stone with his name written in hieroglyphs. "This is… beautiful…"

"I couldn't have sex with you without ruining your birthday gift… Not to mention, it needed time to heal before you pounded into me over and over again," I said to him, petting his hair gently. "Alex was just… icing on the cake. He came to me with the idea after I got this inking done."

"It's gorgeous… You're gorgeous," he whispered, cupping my cheeks and pressed his lips tenderly to mine. I moaned, kissing him back, parting my lips. His tongue pushed between my parted lips and I sucked on it sweetly, moaning as he groaned into my lips. But… Just as soon as the kiss started, it was over. "But I have to tell you how incredibly jealous I am…"

"Jealous?" I asked, blinking up at him.

"Of Alex, getting to be your first," he muttered, tracing his fingers around the new tattoo. I had a feeling he was going to love teasing the fuck out of me, because the inked skin would always be sensitive.

"He wasn't my first, you were…"

"I was the first person you had sex with, yes, but Alex was the first person you ever made love to… And that is what I'm incredibly jealous of…" he admitted, his lower lip curling into the most beautiful pout.

"I…" I was speechless. Adam had always been so dominant with me. He'd always worn the pants in our relationship, as some would say. I never expected Adam to want me to make love to him. I didn't even know he liked the idea of being on the bottom. "You're really jealous…?"

He nodded, pressing a gentle kiss to my neck. "So jealous…" he whispered, nipping my skin gently and whimpering. "Baby, please… Please, make love me to… Watching you fuck Alex like that... Ra, it made me need you. Please, baby, please…"

For some reason, his request made me blush more than I'd blushed in a long time. "You really want me to take you…?" I asked, staring up at him. He didn't answer me. The look in his eyes was answer enough and I sat up straight, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips, cupping his cheeks with my hands. "Then get the lube, baby, you'll need it."

A beautiful blush spread across his face, something that I didn't see all that often. He slipped away from me, crawling over to edge of the bed to get a bottle of lube, vanilla, my favorite… He came back to me, handing the bottle to me and I took it, squeezing a generous amount into my hands, rubbing it into my fingers.

"Lay down, baby," I muttered and he did without a second's hesitation. "Spread your thighs for me, please?" He whimpered, squeezing his eyes shut and spreading his thighs wide, his knees sticking up in the air. I knelt between them, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to the head of his erection, which was throbbing and pulsing under my lips. He gasped, forcing his hips up enough to push the head into my mouth. I took it, sucking greedily on it, tonguing the slit relentlessly.

"Fuck, D-Drake…" he whined, arching deeply into me. I moaned around him, dropping my slicked hand to circle a single digit around the tight ring of his ass. If Alex was tight, I couldn't even imagine how tight Adam was… I don't think he'd been on the receiving end of lovemaking in quite a long time, if ever.

Slowly, I slipped one finger into him, slow and steady. Adam cried out, clenching around me for just a moment before relaxing. I slowly pumped my finger in and out of Adam, working him open little by little. Adam had let me finger him before, but it wasn't the same. It was completely different because before, I was just doing it to tease him, now I was actually prepping to fuck him and I was shaking like a leaf in a stiff wind.

"M-more, Drake, please…" Adam moaned, thrusting up into my mouth. I swallowed him, feeling his erection bump into the back of my throat. Sucking a guy off was also something I didn't use to enjoy because of Brad, but now I loved sucking on Adam. He was my favorite flavor.

Humming, I slipped a second finger into him, scissoring him gently and stretching him as much as I could, but he was so tight, like a king cobra. How fitting… By the time I'd slipped a third and a fourth finger into him, Adam was shaking and moaning like a bitch in heat. He thrust hard into my mouth again and I moaned loudly, feeling him spill his seed down my throat. I greedily lapped up his semen, drinking it like it was a gift from the Gods.

"Please, Drake… Fucking Ra, please…" he whimpered, his hands coming up to tug on my hair. "Please, I want you so badly…" I could tell, because as I licked his erection clean, he was rapidly growing hard again. "Please…"

"Okay, okay, baby, relax," I whispered, pulling my fingers out of him and leaning up to press a gentle kiss to his lips. He moaned, licking the come I'd missed off of my swollen, slightly sore lips. It tended to happen when I gave head for long periods of time, but it didn't bother me much. "Slick me up, please?"

Adam moaned, sitting up enough to grab the bottle of lube I'd left sitting next to us. He squirted some into his left hand and slowly reached out to me, wrapping his fingers around my cock, massaging the oil into it. I moaned, shaking even more than the first time Adam made love to me. I was so nervous, but I couldn't back out now. I couldn't deny Adam anything he wanted, especially not on his birthday.

"Ra, you're going to feel so good…" he moaned, covering every inch of my dick with the vanilla lube.

"Just promise me you'll tell me if I hurt you…" I whispered, nestling between his thighs, the head of my erection pushing into his tight ring of muscle. Adam cried out softly, nodding in response to my request, but I didn't believe that he would tell me, even if I were hurting him. He just wouldn't do something like that, just like I wouldn't tell him if he hurt me.

Slowly, I pushed myself into him, silencing his cries of pain with a passionate, loving kiss. He kissed me back hungrily, holding onto my shoulders tightly until I was completely buried within him.

I let him rest for a few minutes, just as he had done for me years ago. I knew the stretch hurt him. I knew how much pain he was in because he was so tight. The muscles clenching around me was almost enough to make me come undone right then and there. I knew I was hurting him, because he'd hurt me so badly when he first took me. It was just a pain that you couldn't avoid…

"Drake please, move… Please, I need you…" he pleaded and I moaned, rocking my hips into his, earning a startled gasp from him. I wrapped my arms tightly around him as he arched and his legs wrapped tightly around my waist, pulling me deeper and deeper.

Slowly, I built a rhythm of long, powerful thrusts, each pulling loud and throaty moans from my lover's lips. I held onto him tightly, resting my head against his shoulder and nipping his neck harshly over and over. My thrusts were growing fast and erratic quickly, but Adam was that much closer to his undoing.

"Come on, Drake, harder!" he shouted at me, screaming in pleasure as I nailed that spot. He arched into me deeply, pulling me deeper with every thrust. "Drake!" he cried, biting harshly onto his lower lip and all I could do was slam my hips into his over and over again, hitting that spot every single time. "Fuck!"

I groaned into his neck, my thrusts losing all rhythm completely and I just couldn't hold on anymore, but I wouldn't be the first to come. I couldn't, not when I was the one on top. "Come on, Adam… Come for me like the bitch you are… Like my wonderful, perfect bitch," I growled, dropping one hand to wrap my fingers around his overly sensitive dick. He cried out, jerking forward into my hand.

Pumping on him with every thrust I delivered, it only took about four or five to bring Adam to his end. He screamed, arching into me as he came, splattering my hand and both of our stomachs and chests with his seed. Groaning, I licked at some that landed on his chest, thrusting into him once more before freezing, buried deep inside of him. Adam clenched around my dick, just like Alex had and I couldn't hold on anymore. I came hard, releasing deep inside of him, moaning into his chest with his seed on my tongue.

I looked up at him just in time to see his eyes widen in pleasure. I moaned loudly, kissing him lovingly as I collapsed on top of his larger, shaking frame. "Baby?" I whispered, bringing my clean hand up to cup his sweaty cheek. "Baby, are you alright?" I asked, drawing circles into his flesh. He was panting and moaning, but his eyes fluttered open so he could look at me.

"F-fine… It's just… it's been so long since someone has taken me like this. I didn't really think anyone would take me again, but I…" he paused, blushing furiously. "I needed you. I had to have you…"

Pressing a gentle kiss to his lips, I slowly pulled out of him, pulling a soft, hoarse cry from his lips. "Adam, you can have me whenever you want. You've always had me. You always will have me…" I whispered, pressing another kiss to his lips. "I love you, baby, happy birthday…"

"I love you too, my boy, more than you'll ever… ever know…" he muttered, his eyes fluttering open and closed over and over and I knew he was slipping into unconsciousness.

"Sleep, love," I muttered, but I was sure he was already passed out. I was right behind him.


	56. Such a Tired Game

**Chapter Fifty-Five: Feeling So Much Hatred, Such a Tired Game**

**Tommy's POV**

Watching Drake and Alex, and eventually Adam, walk out the doors of the dining hall left me feeling a mix of things, one of them being curiosity as per usual, another being a lack of surprise. It was Adam's birthday after all and I knew of Drake and Alex's plans to tease and torture the fuck out of the Pharaoh with what they had in mind. But above those things, those feelings, the main thing that I felt was neglect. Neglect because when Drake came into mine and Adam's lives, I was pushed on the side burner with Adam. I wasn't his only boy anymore, but I was still his boy. And when they fell in love I was on the back burner.

But when the three of them slipped away into the hallway, probably to disappear off to Adam and Drake's bedroom for a round or two of intense fucking, the neglect I felt was not because I was on any sort of back burner. I wasn't on the fire at all. I was shoved away to be forgotten on the floor. To grow cold, hard, bitter and unwanted until a servant boy cleaned me up and tossed me away because I was nothing more than a greasy stain on the tile.

I sat in silence in my seat for a long moment or two as the member's of Drake's family as well as Cassidy and Hiei talked about where they were going and what they were doing, though it was really no surprise. But I wasn't really listening to them. I was thinking about all of the flashes of pleasure that crossed Alex's face every time he moved and the way he and Drake looked all dolled up and dressed in their silk robes. I was thinking about how Drake was going to be the first person to touch and love Alex for the first time in years when it should have been me…

Biting down on my bottom lip, I pushed my plate away, uninterested in staying, before muttering a soft and polite "excuse me" to the rest of the guests at the table, turning on my heel and marching down to the door, shoving it open and slipping out into the hall. My sandals slapped the stone floor of the hall as I made my way back to my room, far from the dining hall. There was something burning in me that I wasn't understanding and I didn't want to be around other people when I was feeling like this.

Turning a corner, I walked through the fading strips of sunlight that poured through the open windows and archways of the palace, the light kissing my skin and warming it to the touch. But despite the luxury of this, I was finding no comfort in it. The sunlight only made me hotter than what my rage had put me into and the light was blinding me when all I wanted was some darkness to crawl into and sleep in.

I wasn't an angry person, naturally. Nor was I really so depressed to this degree. Often I was rather passive, happy and content. I always took what was given to me with a grain of salt and gratitude and if it wasn't particularly pleasant, I made the most and best I could out of it. I was always thankful for those who made my life wonderful and for those who made it complicated I simply let them be with their decisions and didn't let it impact my life.

No, I wasn't angry by any means, naturally. But the stupor I found myself in was only what I could assume to be rage and, perhaps, jealousy. Such jealousy against the man who I used to be jealous of. Jealousy that Drake, whom owned me entirely when I could never have him for my own, not only owned me and our beloved Pharaoh but owned the man I wanted. The man I wanted to love and cherish.

Shoving open the door to my room, I paced back and forth as my breath sucked and pushed itself in and out through my nose, my hands curled at my sides. Part of me was terrified of myself because this was a side of me that I wasn't familiar with. I didn't really know what it meant to feel rage because the only times I'd ever been quote-un-quote angry was, really, when I was frustrated. Other than what happened with Brad. That had been anger. But this was different. This was ravenous envy. This was all consuming.

I must have stewed in this feeling long enough for me to pace it out in an angry burn. Sweat clung to my skin and I sighed heavily, collapsing onto my bed, panting a little bit. My heart was thrashing in my chest and my hands were shaking beside me, but I was otherwise very calm. I stared up at the ceiling of my room, studying every stone and crack in the surface as my hands and heart stilled, and the sweat dried away.

Even though I was relaxing little by little, I could feel the rage waiting patiently behind a paper door within my soul. Waiting to touch its hand to the thin sheet and burn it away so that it could wreak havoc again. I wanted to scream at something. Or someone. But I knew that if I did such a thing I would regret it later. And I hated regret, despite feeling it often.

I let my eyes slip shut, trying to cool off and calm down completely, but it was hard to manage. The setting sun was washing against me and my skin still felt unnaturally hot and itchy, and when I heard the soft patter of sandals against the worn stone outside my room, the itch still had not gone away. I heard a rustle of clothing and a knock of knuckles against the wood of my door. I grunted in response, but refused to open my eyes. The door swung open with a gentle creak of aged hinges before it slipped shut again.

"Tommy?" Alex murmured gently, and I felt my eyes open involuntarily. I glanced over at him, seeing that he was still dressed in his silk robe, but it was pulled tight around his body, his arms holding it in place with the tie hanging loose and on the verge of slipping out of the stitched loops. His cheeks were a little red and he reeked of sex. My stomach flipped and I looked away.

"Did you have fun?" I asked, my voice cold as I stared up at the ceiling. In my peripheral I watched Alex frown as he took a step closer to me, hobbling a little. He was the one who was fucked? I was sure he would have done the fucking.. Unless Adam fucked him. No surprises there, honestly, but I was almost sure that he would have rather fucked Drake. I bit down on my lip, forcing the various images away.

"What's wrong?" Alex muttered, ignoring my question and replacing it with his own. I sighed softly, shaking my head. I didn't want to lash out at him for my own stupid feelings.

"Nothing, Alex. Nothing is wrong." I said, refusing to look at him. Alex sighed softly, sitting down on the edge of the bed beside me.

"Don't lie to me, Tommy. Something is bothering you and I want you to tell me what it is." I bit down on my bottom lip.

"It's nothing, Alex. Please just leave me alone."

"Tommy.. I'm not going to leave you alone until you tell me what's wrong." I shut my eyes, sighing deeply.

"It's none of your concern. I do not wish to talk right now, so please, just leave me be." I hissed, tucking an arm beneath my head. I really, really didn't want to lash out at Alex. If anything, I wanted to lash out at Drake for agreeing to Alex's silly idea. I wanted to scream and shout and yell at him because I wanted to be Alex's first. Was that so hard to understand?

"Thomas, do not shut me out like this. Something is bothering you and that alone concerns me. I'm trying to understand so I can help you, but you're not letting me. Why?" Alex groaned, reaching out to take my free hand in his. I didn't move out of his grasp, but I didn't turn and accept it, either. "Please, Tommy… Please, talk to me.."

My eyes snapped open and I sat up quickly glaring across the short distance of my bed to Alex, "If you really must know, did it ever occur to you that maybe I wanted to be the first person to love you since everything that happened between you and Adam? Did it ever cross your mind that maybe, just maybe, I wanted to have someone for myself instead of picking him up and cherishing him after he's already been had by someone else? Did you ever think just for a moment that, maybe, I wanted you to belong to me? And when you told me you wanted to be intimate with Drake in front of your first lover, did you even think about how much it would hurt me?"

Tears had sprung into my eyes during my rant and Alex sat across from me with the definition of shock written across his face. His robe hung off of his shoulders enough that his chest was exposed, but his hips and legs were covered. I looked away from him as the tears welled thick and angry before sliding down my cheeks. My lower lip trembled as Alex reached out, brushing my tears away with the pads of his fingers.

"I'm so sorry…" He whispered delicately, his voice so quiet I'd barely even heard it in the first place. "Tommy, I'm.. I'm so sorry, I.. I didn't… I didn't think you felt that way about me… At least, not completely like that." My gaze lifted, hurt and cold to his face.

"Of course I felt that way about you. I wouldn't have kissed you if I didn't. I wouldn't have held your hand around the palace if I didn't… I.." I trailed off, shaking my head as more tears streamed down my face. Alex whimpered beside me, reaching out to cup my face in his hands.

"Tommy… Tommy, please, please don't cry," he murmured under his breath and I scoffed, rolling my eyes a little. "I'm so sorry… I'm so oblivious to the most obscenely obvious and I'm so sorry…" Alex trailed off, tears glistening in his own blue orbs as he sighed, dipping his head and dropping his hands. "This is why I told Adam I shouldn't stay.." I frowned a little.

"What do you mean?" Alex didn't look up but he spoke without a moment of hesitation.

"I knew that by staying here I was only going to cause harm to others. It's all I'd ever been good at since Adam had thought that I died." I frowned more.

"But that wasn't your fault, Alex. That bastard, Brad, kidnapped you…" Alex shook his head.

"But I should have gone back to Adam when I escaped. I should have gone back to him and explained everything. Then the pain you and Drake felt from him would never have happened. Drake would never have gotten hurt. Would never have run away. You would never have been heartbroken because of Drake and Adam's devotion to one another. You would never have gotten sick, Adam wouldn't have almost died… Tommy, I'm damaged. I've been damaged and ruined since Brad took interest into me. I'm no good… And just like I hurt Adam and everyone around him, I've hurt you…"

"But I want you," I blurted, the blush sweeping like fire across my face, but I didn't fight it. I couldn't fight the honest, naked truth that had slipped from my tongue. Alex's face flamed a little and he looked away from me again.

"You shouldn't."

"I do. And there is nothing you can do to stop me from wanting you; wanting to be with you. You cannot stop me from wanting to love you and cherish you the way Adam used to cherish you. There is not a damn thing you can do, Alexander…" Alex's eyes lifted to meet mine in the kind of gaze that left my bones feeling weak and jelly-like. The kind of gaze that buried itself down deep into your soul, tenderly worshiping it with the most passionate love that not even Gods could know.

"If you desire imperfection like you say you do, then take me. Own me, Tommy. Convince me that you really mean what you say." Alex's words were hard and old, but his tone was soft and delicate with yearning. Young and sweet, almost.

I leaned forward, sliding my hand up and along the line of Alex's chest and over his shoulder, up into his hair to dig and weave as my lips crashed against his. His hand came up to clench my shoulder as I pulled him closer to me, his robe cool and smooth against my burning skin. He moaned into my mouth as my tongue pushed between his teeth and into the warm cavern of his own, my fingers tightening in his hair.

Groaning, Alex slid and straddled my lap, curling his arms around my neck. He pressed his body against mine, his skin damp with sweat and love making. The burn of jealousy lingered in my stomach, but it was a fire being doused with the oil of desire and turning it into want and love. My hand slid from his hair and I rested it against his chest, bringing my opposite hand up to join my first before letting them glide up his chest and over his shoulders beneath his robe, pushing the silk away. Alex gasped softly as the robe pooled around his hips, exposing the top half of his body to me.

We didn't speak. We kissed and we whispered each other's names beneath soft and tender moans, but we didn't speak. Alex's fingers were nimble as they curled around the hem of my shirt, peeling it away from my body and tossing it to the floor, later to be joined by my shorts and his robe. Between kisses, I left gentle nips and pecks on his throat and collarbones, treasuring the sharp moans and sounds that he made.

My hands wandered the lines of his legs, roaming over his hips, feeling every scar and memory that Brad had left into his body, replacing the pain with my own serene touch. I nibbled and chewed on his earlobes, sucking on the sides of his throat as my fingers teased and stretched him open, earning me several pleasured pants and moans. His eyes were screwed shut in ecstasy as I fucked him tenderly with three fingers, barely touching that most pleasurable spot within him before pulling out.

Alex whined as I turned him, pulling him against my chest with his back to me. His head turned and lolled onto my shoulder, face my neck and breathing heavily into my skin. I sat on my shins with my palms on his hips, pushing myself up into him. Alex groaned and arched away from me for a moment, but when I had sheathed myself into him, he gasped and slumped back into me, moaning.

"Tommy…" He groaned, curling his right arm back over my shoulder and around my neck, threading his fingers into my hair from behind. I clenched my jaw, thrusting long and slow into him. Gently, I took my time until he was panting and whining into my skin, and I rocked faster into him. I left kisses into his neck and hair when he wasn't pulling on mine. And if I wasn't doing that, I was leaving sloppy wet kisses against the corner of his mouth, my hips lifting into his backside over and over and over.

Alex arched deeply, crying out in the most beautiful wail I'd heard, and that alone told me I'd found that spot again. I buried my face into his hair, drinking in the smell of his shampoo and his essence as I drove hard, long thrusts into him, the sticky wet sound of my dick roughly pushing in and out of him like the sensual bass line of a song, with the shuddered breaths as the riffs and our moans were melody.

With every thrust in and every drag out, Alex was moaning louder and louder arching more and more away from me. His hand was still buried into my hair, his fingers laced between mine against his hip. I reached down with my free hand, curling my fingers around his erection, pumping once or twice as I slammed into him. Alex's back curved like a bow and he cried my name, coming hot all over my hand and on his stomach. I gasped, jerking sharply into him before coming just after, spilling my seed deeply into him.

Collapsing into my arms, Alex panted heavily with his head resting on my shoulder, turned away from me. I kissed his neck gently, slowly pulling out of him as carefully as I could manage. He groaned, slouching further in my arms as I laid back, pulling him close to me. Dragging the blanket up, I brought it up and against our bodies, covering our hips before taking a corner to clean his stomach off. He sighed, turning to face me before pressing a kiss to my lips, exhaustion showing heavy in his face.

"Don't let me go…" He whispered into my mouth. My heart clenched and kicked in my chest as I kissed Alex hard, cupping his cheek in my palm. We held that kiss for a long moment, well past the time that we ran out of breath before we pulled away, gasping. I caressed his cheek with my thumb, kissing him over and over before speaking gentle and sure against his lips.

"Never, Alex.. I'll never let you go."


	57. Just Remember, You Are Not Alone

**Chapter Fifty-Six: Just Remember, You Are Not Alone  
Hiei's POV**

Adam's birthday was pleasant enough. Watching Drake completely ignore Alex and Adam's lustful gazes throughout dinner was actually extremely entertaining. Drake had told me at the market what his birthday gift to Adam was and he requested I didn't tell anybody. Perhaps I used to be a thief, but I kept my word, at least. I wasn't a liar by any respects.

I was the only one not confused when Drake and Alex wandered off together, again. It was also no surprise that Adam just couldn't take it anymore and got up to go after them. What was that saying? Curiosity killed the cat? Well, if Adam was chasing his boys, didn't that make him the cat? I could only imagine what sorts of heated passion were taking place in his and Drake's bed.

Cassidy didn't really give me much time to dwell on it though. After dinner was over and we all said our goodbyes, Cassidy took me back to his room, which I had, unofficially, moved into. I never spent any time in my own room because I slept with Cassidy every night. We spent a good half the night making the sweetest, hottest love, almost like it was my birthday instead of Adam's.

Truly, that only made me more excited for my own birthday. Only the Gods knew what Cassidy would do to me then.

But Adam's birthday had been a few days ago. The day after, Adam had spent the entire day locked away in his room with his husband, so the rest of us, more or less, did the same, but the day after that, things were going back to normal. Cassidy had a meeting with Adam and a few officials from a nearby country after breakfast, so I didn't get to see him until dinner, which wasn't really anything new. At breakfast, I noticed that Adam was limping a little, almost wobbling I wondered just what took place between him and Drake, not that it was really my business.

I spent that day alone. Drake had gone to the meeting, since he was the Pharaoh's husband and did have a huge authority over his country. I didn't see Alex and Tommy at all.

Today wasn't much different.

Apparently the meeting Cassidy, Adam and Drake had been in the day before didn't resolve all the issues that they were supposed to be discussing, so they had to go back today. Alex and Tommy weren't at breakfast, and I didn't truly know any of the Drake's family, so I decided to spend another day by myself. It didn't bother me much. I was pretty used to it, honestly. I'd spent my entire life by myself, so finding something to occupy my day wouldn't be too terribly difficult.

"I'm sorry, Love, but I have to go… I'll see you at dinner, alright?" Cassidy whispered, pressing a soft, gentle kiss to my slightly pouted lips. Just because I could find something to occupy my time didn't mean that I wanted something to occupy it. I would have rather been with Cassidy.

Regardless, I kissed him back gently, moaning into his lips. "All right, all right, fine, go save the world, or whatever it is that you do in those meetings," I said, smiling back at him. He chuckled, his fingers running through my hair gently.

"We certainly will try, but I can't make you any promises, Baby," he muttered into my lips before kissing me again, our lips gluing to one another's for several slow, passionate moment.

"Ahem," Adam muttered from behind Cassidy, clearing his throat just loud enough to get our attention. I looked up at him and Cassidy half turned to look up at the king, whom had one arm fastened tightly around Drake's waist, holding the boy to his side. "As much as I hate to pull apart such a beautiful couple, caught in such a loving kiss, we do have our appointments to keep, Cassidy," Adam said, a beautiful smile spreading across his face and his white teeth standing out in a huge contrast with his finely tanned skin.

"I'm sorry, Adam, Sometimes he just reels me in and doesn't set me free for hours at a time," Cassidy said, blushing a little before looking at Drake's form, leaning into Adam's hold. "But I think you know exactly what I'm talking about, seeing as Drake's got his hold on you. You might think he's your bitch, but really, he's got you wrapped around his finger, pulling at your heartstrings until he's satisfied with what you've give him." My lover's smirk only grew as Adam's tanned face deepened into a dark crimson.

"Cassidy!" Drake exclaimed, his eyes widened a little. "You don't have to make me sound like a glorified prostitute or anything, it's not like Adam bends over backwards to give me everything I could ever want…"

"But you see, he does bend over backwards to make you as happy as he possibly can," Cassidy said, smirking even more as Adam's blush deepened even more. Drake blushed a little too, glancing away.

"Cass, be nice. You have to deal with them all day," I whispered, pressing a gentle kiss into Cassidy's hairline. "Save the teasing for dinner, hm?" Cassidy chuckled, kissing me once more before nodding.

"You're right. It's more entertaining with an audience anyway," he said, laughing softly. Adam and Drake both rolled their eyes, lacing their fingers together as they turned out of the dining hall. Cassidy bid me one last "I love you and I'll see you tonight" and followed them out. Sighing, I watched them leave before I stood up, deciding to get a jump on my day full of nothing but myself.

Like yesterday, I decided to head to the library. I'd found several really good books in there since I'd begun working and living here. Believe it or not, I rather enjoyed reading and learning new things. The thing I think I regretted the most sometimes was not finishing my education, but with the father I had? Education was pushed onto the back burner. Reading was the next best thing to formal school and it actually filled up most of my day, unlike pointless strolling around the palace or gardening, though gardening could take quite a large chunk of time, I preferred staying in doors and reading.

Servants were already rushing about the palace, despite the earliness of the day. It seemed like there was always at least a dozen people doing some sort of work, even into the late hours of the night, and they were actually doing work, unlike what Cassidy and I did with one another late at night. I passed several, a few carrying dirty clothing and linens to the laundry rooms, others delivering clean articles to the rooms that were inhabited. A few of them said hello or smiled in my direction, all of which I returned with a pleasant and airy smile. Even though I was alone, I was still in a good mood. After all the loving Cassidy and I had shared over the last few days, how could I not be?

Two large, wooden doors came into view, etched with hieroglyphs speaking of wisdom, knowledge, learning and a bunch of symbols that I couldn't really make out. I never finished my education, mind you. I pushed on one of the doors, pushing it open, but a voice from inside stopped me. I knew people came to the library, usually, to be alone, so I considered turning and leaving to do something else. I could always come back later, but then I heard what he was actually saying.

"I don't understand it, I just don't understand this at all," he muttered and I peeked in, seeing the giant peacock statue that stood in the center. In front of the peacock was a man that, for a moment, I didn't recognize him, but after staring at him for a while, I realized it was the servant boy, Elijah. If I was thinking of the right person, this was the boy who had tended to Tommy when he was in his coma.

When most people came into the library, they spoke to the statue, but Elijah wasn't staring at the statue, he was looking intently at the white carpet at the base of the massive statue. He was standing at the edge of the carpet, his back to me and he was full of tension, his hands curled into tight fists. "I've done everything I can think of while lying low. Nothing has worked. Everything you taught me… Everything you said was so full proof, none of it's helping. I've tried everything I can possibly think of without causing a huge scene!"

His back shook with what I imagined to be sobs and he knelt down on the carpet, bending forward to rub his face against it. All right, that was weird as fuck. Who just rubbed his or her face against a carpet that everyone in the palace has probably walked across? That couldn't possibly be sanitary… or normal, for that matter. Nobody would do that willingly…

He fell silent for a while, as if waiting for some sort of answer, but he was alone, other than me watching him through a crack in the door. "I've got one more idea in mind, but I'm not entirely sure how well it will work. It's the only thing I've got left though…. I won't let you down," he said, keeping his face buried in the soft fur of the rug, as if he were kissing and worshipping it. "I will not fail you, I swear…" he added, turning his head a little to rub his cheek over the carpet.

I was afraid that by turning his head to the side, he would see me, so I closed the door quietly and took off in the other direction. I didn't want to chance running into someone who could, possibly, be clinically insane. I was strong, but I definitely wasn't strong enough against Elijah if he was actually insane. Insanity drove people to do things that, normally, people wouldn't be able to do, or wouldn't do. All I did know what that his behavior was too unnatural to ignore.

I needed to tell someone about this, but the only person I'd feel completely comfort telling was in a meeting for the rest of the day, with the other two people I would consider telling… Well that was just peachy.

My first move was to get as fair away from the library as possible and my second was to go to the meeting hall. I wouldn't interrupt, because I knew whatever they were discussing with those officials was important, but they would be taking a break for lunch at some point. I could talk to Cassidy then.

It took a little over an hour and a half for them all to come out of the conference room. Adam and Drake were holding hands, Drake looking like he'd been bored out of his bloody mind the entire time. They didn't pay me any mind. Adam was probably intent on trying to make Drake happy in the short break they had together. A few regal looking people I didn't know came out, probably the officials from the neighboring country. A moment later, Cassidy came out and I jumped up from the floor where I had been sitting, leaning against the wall.

"Hiei?" Cassidy asked, a little bit of shock flashing through his eyes. "What are you doing here?" I didn't sit around and wait for him to come out, ever, so worry started to form in his chocolate eyes.

"I need to tell you something that I just saw… It was really strange and a little too weird to ignore. I didn't know who else to tell…" I told him, gnawing on my lower lip. Nonchalantly, I glanced around; wanting to make sure that Elijah wasn't anywhere close by.

"What's wrong? What did you see?" he asked.

"That servant boy, Elijah, was in the library an hour ago and he was… like, talking to himself. He was standing in front of the peacock statue, staring down at the white carpet in front of it, muttering about how nothing he was doing was working and he didn't understand what he was doing wrong. He was really rigid and then he started twitching… He was saying how he had one more thing to try and he wouldn't fail whomever he was supposedly talking to, but he was alone… And then he…"

Cassidy's eyes glazed over and I wasn't entirely sure with what. "Then he what, Hiei?" Cassidy asked, frowning softly.

"He… knelt down on the carpet and bent over, rubbing his face against it like he was some sort of animal…" I muttered and Cassidy eyes flashing with something that made my bones chill over. A brief recognition filled the brown orbs before he pressed a gentle kiss to my lips.

"Thank you, Hiei. I'm not sure what that means, exactly, but I'll talk to Adam about it… See what he thinks," he whispered, but I was beginning to believe that Cassidy knew more than what he was willing to tell me.


	58. I'm Heading Into a Crisis

**Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Sea is High and I'm Heading Into a Crisis**

**Adam's POV**

My birthday felt like a distant dream from some other life with all the meetings that I'd been having with my advisors and my husband lately. Committee members from our allies in other countries were constantly coming in and out of our palace walls, meeting after meeting, council after council and I was growing weary of it all. Endless discussions and plans and debates. There were rumors of one neighboring country planning to overthrow one of our allies, there were notices of Persia electing a new leader… It was all this and that and I was exhausted.

Some meetings seemed to drag on for hours and hours at a time, and they were never really enjoyable. I knew Drake had no fondness for it, even the ones that were relatively enjoyable, but it was his duty with his position in power. It wasn't as if he could skip out on the politics of it all, but I knew that he wanted to. Drake was an artistic individual, not a political man like Cassidy, Alex and myself.

But he sat through them as best as he could. He often kept a tablet of paper with him and pretended to take notes, but I knew that wasn't the case. He kept the tablet's edge against his stomach with the backing leaning on the table of the meeting room, and he was lightly sketching doodles and miniature portraits. Each drawing took him no time at all and I found myself occasionally glancing over to watch him draw.

Though, upon leaving a meeting one day, I noticed Hiei was waiting for Cassidy just outside the hall. He looked rather upset and frazzled, but before I could go to him and ask if he was alright, Cassidy was at his side, no doubt asking the questions for me. I bit down on my lip, turning away from them as I walked off with Drake at my side, my arm looped gently around him. I tried not to let the strangeness of Hiei's appearance and discomfort bother me, but it had. And my short meeting with Cassidy later that day certainly didn't help.

"_Adam?" Cassidy called to me. Drake had gone to his studio for some quality time to himself, and I had been roaming around the library trying to clear my head from Hiei's appearance this afternoon. Normally, such a thing wouldn't have troubled me, but Hiei wasn't one to wait for Cassidy for hours at a time, right outside the meeting hall. _

_I turned to him, seeing his look of worry, much like the one that Hiei had been wearing earlier. Frowning a little, I closed the book in my hands, clutching it tightly. "Something wrong, Cassidy?" I asked him, and he sighed softly._

"_I believe so. After our meeting today, Hiei came to me and said that he.. He witnessed something strange." I raised an eyebrow, slipping the book onto the shelf from where I had retrieved it before giving him my full attention._

"_What did he see?" Cassidy looked away for a moment, gnawing on his bottom lip before speaking in a soft voice._

"_The servant boy who cared for Tommy, Elijah… He said he saw the boy by the peacock statue, on the rug. He said that Elijah was talking to himself.. as if speaking to someone else, though. Talking of how everything he tried to do was nothing more than failure. And that he wasn't going to let whoever he was talking to down." I frowned a little more, glancing across the library to the white carpet in front of the statue. It was not the original one that had been there. I had that one burned…_

"_Did he see anything else?" I asked and Cassidy nodded once._

"_He said the boy was kneeling on the carpet. As if worshipping it."_

Needless to say I was extremely puzzled and more than a little concerned. What reason would Elijah have to worship a simple white carpet? I could understand talking to the statue, though. I used to do it on a regular basis when I'd thought that Alex was dead. Drake had done it as a sort of comfort when Brad was hurting him. It wasn't uncommon for people to find comfort in it. But a carpet? That just didn't make sense.

I tried not to let it bother me, though. The event had happened a few days ago and nothing else had come up since then. Only more meetings and nights of endless passionate lovemaking between myself and Drake. But it seemed that no matter how good the moment had been, the nagging worry that something was amiss kept crawling back into my head and I would get distracted.

I poked at the remains of my breakfast as the soft chatter of family and friends flittered around the room. Drake was at my side, talking with Hiei about something that I wasn't paying any attention to. While I wasn't, exactly, spacing out, I wasn't in tune with the conversations, either. I couldn't find anything interesting enough to get into but at the same time it was just loud enough that I couldn't completely block it out. And I probably would have stayed in this state of limbo had it not been for a voice.

"Adam?" Drake mused, touching my arm. I blinked, shaking my head and looking over at him.

"Yes, love?" I replied, smiling shyly. I wasn't one for spacing off so suddenly, but it had been happening a lot lately. Drake smiled back at me, rubbing my arm gently with his palm before taking my hand in his.

"Are you alright?" He asked and I nodded once to him. "Are you sure, baby? You've been very quiet these last couple of days."

"I apologize, love. I've just been.. I've been distracted, that's all." I admitted, looking down at our hands. Drake smiled softly at me, squeezing my hand gently with his, his thumb rubbing the back of my hand.

"Is there anything that you want to talk about?" He asked and I shook my head a little bit. Well, that wasn't entirely true. But I didn't want to concern Drake about it. While I wasn't entirely sure that the whole situation with Elijah was entirely harmless, I couldn't see any danger in it, either. It just meant that we had to keep an eye on him.

"No, but I would love to get away for a moment.." I trailed of and Drake raised an eyebrow at me. I smiled. "Take a walk with me?" I suggested, just like old times when he had first been my pleasure servant. Drake grinned at me, nodding once before standing and pulling me to my feet. The others at the table barely acknowledged that we were about to leave, and that didn't bother me in the slightest.

Hand in hand, Drake and I walked out of the dining hall together. The sunlight washed through the archways and windows, setting the walls a glow with warmth. The hieroglyphics and paintings of old legends and stories and victories seemed to come to life as we passed them by. While the idea of a walk sounded like a wonderful idea through and through, I was using it more as a way to clear my head of my conversation with Cassidy… Of Elijah…

We walked in silence for a moment, the soft sound of our leather sandals scuffing against the stone floor of the hall. Our fingers were laced together, the cool curve of Drake's ring against my skin. A smile touched my lips as I glanced over at Drake, squeezing his hand in mine. He leaned into me for a moment, purring softly into my shoulder and I laughed.

"When was the last time we just took a walk like this?" Drake mused softly, pressing a kiss to my skin. I smiled a little, trying to think back to when we had.

"It was before we got married, I think," I said, turning a corner, walking down another long hallway. "Long before we got married, even… Wow, that's depressing," I sighed and Drake giggled, adding a light spring to his step as we ventured through the mile long stretch of our home.

"That is quite a long time," Drake mused gently, smiling up at me. The sunlight washed across his face, making his skin glow and his eyes shine and I felt my heart skip a beat in my chest. I was breathless for a moment, coming to a stop in the middle of the hallway as I reached up to touch his face.

"It has, yes…" I whispered, dragging my thumb across his lips. Drake smiled as my palm slid into the crimson locks of his hair, my fingers sliding through them with ease.

"But we've been busy, love. Right now, we are not, so let's enjoy this time we have, alright?" Drake suggested and I nodded once, sighing softly as I continued to run my fingers through his hair. Servant boys and girls passed us by, nodding their heads and flashing delicately shy smiles in our wake before continuing on to their own duties.

"You know how I wish to enjoy my time, love?" I smirked, pulling Drake close, turning towards a sharp corner and down the long line of the hall to our bedroom. Drake's face flamed a little as he clutched tight to my hands, following me as I back peddled slowly to the door.

"More sex?" Drake mused as I pulled our door open, leading him inside. I merely chuckled, shaking my head a little bit as I shut the door again, taking him down to our bed.

"I thought I would kiss you first," I whispered, palming Drake's face in my hands before kissing him tenderly. He moaned into my lips, his arms linking themselves around my waist to pull me closer to him. My tongue slid along his lower lip, splitting the seam of his mouth before dipping in, tasting in the inside of his cheek as I kissed him harder. He moaned again, fisting his hands into the back of my shirt.

Drake pushed me slowly down onto the bed, climbing over me with his knees straddling my hips. He dominated our kiss, trailing his tongue along my lips and just past my teeth, dragging wet, gentle kisses along my jaw and my throat, nipping here and there. I arched into him, moaning softly as his hands wandered down my sides.

"Baby," I groaned softly, tilting my head back a little as Drake licked a small strip of my neck just below my left ear, nibbling into it lightly. "Baby, you tease…" I trailed off, gasping sharply when he bit hard into my neck.

"Of course, love. It's been my duty for over three years to tease you…" he mumbled in my neck, smirking some as his hands slid beneath my shirt. I shivered lightly as his fingertips rubbed against my nipples, teasing them until they were firm.

"You're very good at it," I moaned, shuddering lightly, "Almost too good at it."

Drake smirked down at me, chastely kissing me again. "I only learned from the best, darling. You and Tommy were excellent teachers." I blushed a little bit, smiling at him as he kissed me again and again. I palmed his face gently, rolling over to pin Drake down into the mattress of our bed, watching his hair fan out around his head in the pillows.

"You were an excellent pupil, my boy," I whispered and Drake shivered beneath me.

"When was the last time you called me your boy?"

"Long before we got married. Why, should I start calling you my boy again, Drake?" He flushed a little, his eyes half open as he smirked at me.

"Depends. Should I start calling you My Pharaoh, again?" I shivered above him, the tone of his tongue and the way he said my title curling around my spine and shaking me with pleasure.

"Perhaps you should, pet," I said, hungrily kissing his neck. Drake tilted his head back, moaning loudly.

"Pharaoh.." He groaned and I whined into his neck.

"You tease." I murmured and he chuckled, breathing hot into my ear.

"You like it."


	59. I Really Don't Think You Care

**Chapter Fifty-Eight: I Really Don't Think You Care  
Drake's POV**

Yesterday Adam and I had taken a walk that led to us spending the entire day in our bedroom. Leave it to us to take something as innocent as a walk through the palace and turn it into something sexual and passionate in the hidden caverns of our bedroom.

Today Cassidy made it a point to keep us apart. I wasn't entirely sure what the Pharaoh and his adviser were discussing, but as long as I didn't have to sit through another one of the dreadfully boring meetings, I couldn't really say that I cared at all. I had a day to myself and Adam had Pharaoh things to deal with. I used to hate when Adam had to go do his Pharaoh thing, but since I had become such a huge part of everything he did when we got married, I was thankful for time I actually got to spend with myself. Well, I was thankful for it as long as the man I loved was away from me for reasons other than illness and borderline death…

After breakfast, Adam and Cassidy disappeared to do whatever it was that they did when no one was around (and I am so sorry, I did not mean to make that sound so dirty). Alex and Tommy were caught up in their own conversations and Hiei was talking with my mother and sister, so I took that opportunity to slip away, disappearing into my studio for the rest of the morning and well into the afternoon.

I knew I missed lunch, but it didn't really bother me. I'd eaten more than my fair share at breakfast and I wanted to work up right until I absolutely had to leave for dinner without being late. Knowing me, I probably was going to be late, but the others would understand. When I got into one of my creative funks, it was hard to pull myself away from my work. Maybe my mother and my husband would be a little peeved if I was late, but once they saw the masterpiece I was working on, they'd forget their anger.

Today is was a huge canvas covered beautiful roses of every color with two men, both young and tanned, kissing on the left side, lying in the pile of flowers that spread across the canvas. It was supposed to be Adam and myself, but I painted so it wasn't us perfectly. Both men had a likeness to Adam and myself, but they could have been anyone.

Surprisingly, I finished the entire painting with about thirty minutes left to get to dinner. I'd worked so fast, it was unbelievable, but the final product was gorgeous. I wanted to take it with me to show everyone, but it needed to dry before I moved it off of the easel. There was a bit of light purple paint streaking across my left cheek, but I didn't bother to wipe it away. People always told me how cute it was when I had paint on my face. I might as well use that to the biggest advantage I could get from looking cute and adorable.

I was about half way to the dining hall when I heard some muttering coming towards me. I expected to see Adam and Cassidy come out of the adjacent hall, heading to dinner, but the only person who came out was Elijah, his hands clasped rigidly behind his back. He was muttering to himself, almost hissing and I stopped mid step, staring at him. Part of me said to keep walking, that Elijah was acting rather strange and I didn't want to get mixed up with him, but I was just a little too nice for that. Damn my good willed nature…

"Elijah?" I asked and his head snapped up, his gaze moving from the floor to where I stood.

"My King…" he muttered, his body seeming to tense even more than it already was, if that were possible.

"Elijah," I repeated, taking one timid step forward. "Are you alright? You seem… well, rather upset about something. Is there anything I can help you with?" Okay, Drake, shut the fuck up. You never really know when to keep your mouth shut… Why are you such an idiot? Did your hair dye seep into your brain, or something?

Wow, could I be any more of a self-loather…? Ra, if Adam could hear my thoughts, he would beat me, probably, during sex, knowing Adam, but that was besides the point.

"I'm fine, My King… Just a lot on my mind," he muttered, humming quietly. He kept his hands behind his back and I stopped after one step, not willing to step any closer to him. "How is our Pharaoh feeling? He fairs well, I suppose?"

"Oh… Yes, Adam's doing fabulous, thank the Gods," I said, a touch of a smile painting across my lips. If there was one thing in this world that I was thankful for, it was that Adam wasn't taken away from me.

"That's fantastic news indeed…" he muttered, seeming to grit his teeth.

"Yes… it's great," I said ready to turn away back on my course to dinner. "Try to relax a little, Elijah. You look like you could use a day of rest. Please try to be good to yourself and get some much deserved and needed rest," I said to him, turning to continue down to dinner. I suddenly just wanted to be away from Elijah. I wanted to be with my husband, my friends and my family, where the comfort of my life resided. Right now I was not comfortable in the slightest.

The moment I started to walk away, Elijah was at my side, his hand wrapped in a painful vice grip around my wrist. "Where the fuck do you think you're going?" he hissed into my ear, his breath hot and heavily, sending shivers through my spine. "I've done everything… Everything he said would work, but none of it has worked."

My eyes went wide and I looked back at Elijah. His eyes were blown black but I knew he wasn't horny, he was angry, almost like he was possessed. "What are you talking about? What are you doing?" I gasped and he shoved me back into the wall of the hallway, one hand still hidden behind his back, but even without the use of one hand, he was still too strong for me to fight off. Shut it, I was small, okay?

Elijah growled at me. "I tried everything, from getting rid of that pretty blonde… When he got sick, I expected the Pharaoh and you to fall apart and to an extent, you both did, but yet you both still ruled Egypt together and you only grew closer together in his sickness."

"Elijah…" I muttered, staring at him with wide eyes. He pulled me off the wall simply to slam me back into it, pulling a soft cry of pain from my lips.

"Shut up, you tramp!" he hissed, tossing me to the floor. He loomed over me, dropping the hand he was hiding behind his back, revealing a large carving knife. "Getting rid of that blond was supposed to be enough to bring you and your precious husband to your knees, but you were both too heartless to care about the boy being deathly ill. You just carried on about your business…" I started to push myself to my feet and he kicked me back down again.

"I don't understand…" I gasped, but I was beginning to put things together. Elijah was the one who put Tommy into that awful coma. Why else would he be talking like this?

"Since that didn't work…" he started, examining his blade like it was a god. "I decided to skip to plan B. If I couldn't bring the Pharaoh's Egypt to an end by hurting his friends, then I would merely bring his life to an end. Without a Pharaoh, this Egypt would have fallen apart and I would have been able to step in easily, but the minute he ate that poison laced food, you were put into power… You stepped in and kept Egypt running like you were born to do it. There couldn't be any more poisoning of you because they started checking all the food. Pharaoh didn't eat enough of it to die and as you kept the country running, he was getting better with constant watch and no more access to him. Again, that failed and now… Now I'm down to my final plan… Getting rid of Tommy and the Pharaoh didn't work out…"

"Elijah…" I muttered, staring up at him as I scooted backwards. "Please stop. This isn't a good thing… You can still stop this. You can still redeem yourself…" I muttered. I wasn't too proud to beg because now I wasn't in a position to do anything else. Elijah seemed intent on bringing me to my undoing, but what would that accomplish? It wasn't going to get rid of Adam. Why did he even want to get rid of Adam anyway? Then I saw it, truly— the knife.

It was Bradley's knife, the one he had used to cut my back and thighs while he was raping me three years ago. Everything about how Elijah was acting reminded me of Brad, in fact, from how he threatened me with that knife to how he spoke like he was better than everyone else, about how he wanted to bring Adam to his end.

"No, there is no turning back. I will not take failure for an option. I'd rather die," he hissed, kicking me again as I tried to get up to run. "Since getting Tommy out of the way didn't work and getting rid of Adam didn't work, that leaves you. Without you, the Pharaoh will not be able to function. He will lose all will to live without you. No one but you will do and without you, he'll fall. He will crash hard to rock bottom, just like _he_ did." By "he" I was sure he meant Brad.

Shaking my head, I managed to push myself up, but I had to turn away from Elijah to use my hands to push me up. Elijah growled behind me and I felt the blade slash through the back of my shorts and into the back of my thigh, sending me back to the ground, blood pooling down over my thigh, staining my white shorts a dark crimson that matched my hair perfectly. I screamed in pain, trying to push myself up again to run, but he was just too quick for me.

"No you fucking don't, you whore!" he shouted at me and despite myself, I could feel tears gathering in my eyes and falling rapidly down my cheeks. "This is the plan that will work!" His fingers twined into my hair, pulling my head back so I had no choice but to watch him lift the knife up over his head, ready to bring it down, stabbing through my chest, right through my rib cage.

"Drake?" I heard someone call and I knew it was Alex. He sounded too much like me to be anyone else and not a second later, I saw Alex emerge from the hall that lead down to the dining hall. He seemed a little worried, probably from hearing me screaming in pain and when his eyes fell on me, his eyes widened, fear and anger flooding into the ocean orbs. "Drake!" he cried and Elijah was distracted just long enough for me to pull myself away from the man.

Alex came to my side. "What the fuck is going on here?" he growled, putting himself between Elijah and myself as I pushed myself up to my feet, putting most of my weight onto my left side, the uncut thigh. "Drake, go get the guards, go!" he exclaimed over his shoulder, but how did he really expect me to just leave him there by himself? Elijah was going to kill me! Alex being between us wasn't going to stop him, it was just going to end with two dead bodies, not just mine.

"Alex…"

"Just go, Drake!" he shouted at me. Elijah took a step forward, baring his teeth as he lunged at Alex.

"Alex! Watch out!" I cried, but it was just too late. The moment Alex turned his head back to Elijah, he lunged forward, driving the blade of his knife into the brunette's stomach. Alex's eyes went round, just like mine, and Elijah pulled the blood-covered knife out of my friend. Alex clenched his stomach, falling to his knees and I hit my knees next to him, wanting to do anything I could to help him but I was terrified that he was dying. Elijah looked like he was about to attack again, but some voices coming from the direction Alex had come from made him freeze where he stood.

Adam and Tommy walked out of the opening, calling for both Alex and myself and when their eyes fell on us, Adam called for guards as loud as he could. Elijah dropped the knife, backing away to make an escape, but Adam wasn't going to let that happen.


	60. You're Slipping Slowly From My Reach

**Chapter Fifty-Nine: You're Slipping Slowly From My Reach (Without You I'm Nothing)**

**Adam's POV**

"_Guards!_" I howled the moment after Tommy and I rounded the corner. I couldn't comprehend, really, what was happening because it was all happening so fast. It seemed, though, in one instance things were beautiful and perfect. We'd heard screams and a commotion and had gone out and in that moment alone those beautiful perfect things shattered into a dark and cruel oblivion…

The noise had been devastatingly shocking. Alex had rushed out of the room before us to see what was going on, with Tommy and I just on his heels. We urged everyone to remain where they were, telling them we could handle it. I saw, though, in Cassidy's face as well as Eric's, to my surprise, the shock and desire to come with us. But their fear could not match mine for I recognized that scream, perhaps, better than anyone with the exception of Tommy.

It had been Drake. And it had been of pain.

We hurried out to see Alex disappearing around a corner, calling out for Drake. There had been a hush of noises, of Alex telling Drake to do something. To run or call the guards or something. He'd told Drake to run before Drake told him to watch out, but watch out for what? Tommy and I had been too far from the corner to see what he needed to watch out from but when we did reach it, I wanted to turn away and scream.

Elijah held the handle of a knife of which the blade was buried hilt-deep into Alex's stomach before twisting it and ripping it free, the gleaming edge dripping in crimson. Alex, whose eyes were blown wide with shock, fell to his knees with his hands clutching his stomach. Drake fell to his knees beside him, tears streaking his face. In the brief moment it took for me to understand the danger of the situation, I saw Elijah's focus turn on Drake, and that he was going to attack my husband just as he had attacked Alex.

I first called for Drake and Alex, as did Tommy. But then I called for the guards.

Elijah's focused snapped to us as he dropped the knife. Alex fell, clutching his stomach as agony etched itself across his face. Tommy froze at my side as Drake stared over at us, specifically me. I could see there in the naturally-blue orbs that were now blown wide and bright with fear that he was afraid Alex was dying. For fuck's sake, _I _was afraid Alex was dying, but I couldn't put my focus on him with Elijah so close to Drake…

Tommy called for Alex, charging forward before I could even blink. He raced down the hall, crashing to his hands and knees beside the brunette, pulling him close. I hesitated, glancing between Tommy and Alex and Drake before staring at Drake in a short instant. The worry and the terror in his eyes faded, leaving his face blank. His head was turned towards the knife on the floor.

"Drake!" I called, hurrying forward as Elijah took another step back, turning away to make a run for it. My focus shifted from my husband to the servant, and pulsing anger shot through my system. I had every intention to rip that boy to pieces. I could only imagine that he was trying to kill Drake and instead attacked Alex. At any rate, he was a traitor to my land and an attempted assassin, and I couldn't let him leave.

But before I could even reach him, Drake had snatched up the knife, clamoring to his feet before howling, chucking the knife in Elijah's direction. It spun through the air, blood still gleaming on it as I watched it sink deep and fast into Elijah's back, and the black haired servant crashed to the floor with a cry in pain. I froze to my spot, staring at Drake as he charged Elijah down, pouncing on him before ripping the blade out, turning Elijah onto his back. Never before had I know Drake to handle any sort of weapon, and to watch him expertly throw a knife of that caliber with precise aim was… It wasn't like Drake at all.

I hurried closer, coming up beside Tommy and Alex, just in earshot of Drake to hear him cursing Elijah in Egypt's native language before bringing the blade down into the servant boy's chest once.. twice.. three.. four.. I couldn't keep counting, only staring as Drake stabbed him over and over and over, blood flying up and hitting him in the face, soaking his arms and his clothes.

Somehow I came to Drake's side, grabbing his wrist to stop him from stabbing Elijah. At some point he'd begun to cry, for Drake was sobbing when I ripped the knife from his hand. Pulling my husband close to me, I wrapped my arms tight around Drake as he wept into my chest, shaking uncontrollably. Whether it was from agony at what had happened to Alex or realization that he just killed someone, I didn't know. But I couldn't find a drop of emotion to spare. I was frozen. Shocked. I wasn't sure was to think or say, though I knew that my best bet was to hold him and just let him cry.

"Tommy," I said down the hall, and the blond lifted his head to look over to me. Tears streamed his face and his chocolate eyes were dark with grief. He was clutching one of Alex's bloodied hands, holding the brunette in his arms. From what I could tell, Alex was still alive… barely. "Get the doctor." My voice was quiet, almost dead-sounding. I watched blankly as Tommy pressed a kiss to Alex's lips, slowly slipping away before taking off down the hallway. I lifted Drake's trembling form into my arms, carrying him over to Alex.

The brunette wheezed every time he breathed, one hand pressed tight to his blood-soaked shirt. Staring down at him made my traumatized heart clench and break and I choked on a sob, palming Alex's face in my hand, "Oh, Gods, Alex…" His eyes fluttered open as he looked up at him, groaning in pain.

"Adam…" he breathed, weak as he squeezed his eyes shut in a grimace for a moment before opening them again. Drake shifted in my arms, his head tucked against my chest but he was looking down at Alex, shakily reaching out with a blood-covered hand, taking Alex's free one. "Adam, I.. I-I'm sorry…" He whispered and I shook my head.

"No, baby, don't apologize." I told him, tears rolling down my face.

"I had to.." Alex continued, as if I hadn't said a word to him, "He.. He was g-going to kill Drake.. I.. I couldn't let him." Drake whimpered against me, trembling in my arms as I palmed my hand over theirs.

"Baby, shh… It's alright, it's alright. He's fine and you're gonna be fine and it's gonna be okay, Alex.." I whispered to him. Alex's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, his face pale from blood loss as he moaned softly.

"I felt something like death once..but at least that was painless…" He whispered and I shook my head.

"No, don't talk like that, Alex. You are going to be _fine_.. Tommy's getting a doctor and you're gonna be okay.. I promise." I told him, tightening my arm around Drake as I touched Alex's face again. His hard brown eyes shifted to meet mine and there was a heart-clenching kind of pain there that I had never seen before.

"Don't make promise you can't keep, Adam." Alex whispered, taking a sharp breath inward.

"Alex, please.. Don't… You can't die like this.." Drake wept gently, pulling out of my arms to crawl closer to Alex, pulling the brunette's head onto his lap. Alex's eyes fluttered a little and he looked up at Drake, a small, weak smile pulling at his lips.

"I would gladly die knowing you did not, Drake.." Drake shook his head.

"No! No, you can't! Don't play hero on me, Alex, I need you… Tommy needs you, Adam needs you, you can't.." I bit down on my bottom lip as I heard footsteps slapping the stone ground of the hall, and I turned my head to see Tommy and the doctor who had tended to me and the blond so many times before rushing towards us. They knelt down beside us and the doctor moved Alex's hand to examine the wound.

"Let's carry him to a spare room. I'm going to need some strips of cloth to clean it out and he's going to need a bed to rest on."

Tommy lifted him with ease into his arms, carrying him down to a spare room just off of the hallway we'd been in. Guards had swarmed the area, dragging Elijah's corpse away as servant boys cleaned the blood, their emotions masked with vacancy at the scene. No doubt there would be talk of all of this, but for now it was silent.

I half carried half walked with Drake to the spare room. I noticed he was limping and he muttered to me that Elijah had cut his thigh when he tried to flee. My heart lurched in my chest and I held tight to my husband as we followed Tommy and the doctor.

I held Drake in my arms in a large chair as Tommy set Alex down on the bed. The brunette's skin was almost white from blood loss and my heart was shaking and thrashing violently in my rib cage. The doctor worked efficiently, tearing Alex's shirt open to easily reach the wound, ripping cloth into strips before cleaning the excess blood away from his skin. He opened up the satchel he'd been carrying on his hip and set it out on a small side table beside the bed, cleaning the wound with various antiseptics. Alex groaned in pain, clutching tightly to Tommy's hand.

Drake trembled in my arms as the doctor cleaned the wound thoroughly, stitching it shut before wrapping a tourniquet around Alex's arm. "He's lost too much blood. He needs a transfusion or he will die." The doctor explained. Tommy silently agreed to it before Drake and I could even think to move, and the doctor repeated the process on Tommy's arm. He made a small incision in their skin, slipping small tubes into their arms. There was a small metallic pump-mechanism that connected the two tubes, and he worked the machine quickly, blood flowing from Tommy's arm and into Alex's.

Within time, the color in Tommy's face faded some but returned in Alex's before he removed the tubes and stitched the incisions, wrapping gauze around their arms. Alex was on the brink of consciousness as the doctor placed a padding of gauze on his stomach, wrapping it with medical tape to secure it. He poured clean water into Alex's mouth, letting him drink before instructing that he rest.

I told the doctor of the cut in Drake's thigh and he cleaned and stitched it in a quarter of the time that it took for him to work on Alex's wound before leaving the four of us alone the in quiet of the spare room. Tommy curled up on his side beside Alex, pulling the brunette into his arms as Drake and I came to their sides, sitting on the edge of the bed. Drake was covered in dry blood, but this didn't bother than any of us.

"Alex," I whispered, reaching passed Drake to take my once-lover's hand. "What were you saying about making promises I couldn't keep?" I teased and Alex smiled weakly, exhaustion written on his face.

"In that moment I was dying, you ass…" He moaned softly, his eyes slipping shut for a moment before opening again. At least now I didn't have to worry about him never waking up again. He was going to be alright, and that was all I could ever ask for.

"Promise me one thing?" Drake whispered to him and Alex's eyes shifted to my husband.

"And what is that, my King?"

"Don't ever do that again." Drake demanded and Alex chuckled, smiling softly.

"It wasn't my intention, Drake… But if it comes down to something like that again, I will always step in front of you. Egypt can survive without me. It can't survive without you…" He whispered, and I felt my heart clench. Alex was speaking not only of my country but of me. Of Drake's family. Of Tommy, to an extent. Of Cassidy and Hiei. If Drake had been in Alex's position, if he had almost died… I wouldn't want to live. I would cease to be. I wasn't one to think of such horrible things like suicide, but if Drake had died today, I would have gladly taken my own life to be with him…

"Baby, don't say that," Drake hissed at me, and I realized I'd spoken my last few thoughts out loud. "Don't you dare."

"I'm sorry, love, but it's true," I whispered to him, holding him tightly. "I couldn't… I can't live without you."

"As much as I believe that statement more than anything, I have to agree with Drake," Tommy commented. "Egypt has no successor other than Drake. If you two die… She'll be at risk of falling to ruin." I bit down on my lip, resting my head on Drake's for a long moment, sighing heavily.

"Let's not talk of this? Please?" I pleaded, looking to Alex, "I nearly lost you today. I don't want to think of losing anyone else. Not now." Alex nodded once, sleep pulling at his actions. Drake and Tommy mirrored him, but with more vitality than the brunette. I pressed a kiss to Drake's hair, reaching down to squeeze Alex's hand.

"Come on, Drake. Let's get you to our room so we can clean you off. Right now.. Right now I just.. I need to hold you." I told him, lifting him into my arms before carrying him from the room without a second glance or word to Alex and Tommy. They needed their own time as well. Alex nearly died, and his connection with Tommy would have destroyed the blond if he had.

Drake was silent as I carried him to our room, passing through the large chamber and into the bathroom. I set him down on the edge of the tub, starting the hot water before helping him peel of his bloodied clothing. I stripped of my own, helping him into the water, mindful of the stitching on his thigh. He hissed and groaned, refusing to look at the water as it turned pink from Elijah's blood.

I rubbed and washed Drake's body clean of the blood before pulling him to my chest, trembling with sobs as I left kiss after kiss into his hair and skin. Drake curled up on my lap, wrapping his arms around my neck, pressing himself close to me. I held him tightly, refusing to believe that someone tried to kill him. Refusing to believe someone almost succeeded in killing Alex. Refusing to believe that Drake had killed his almost-killer. Only believing in that he was alive and he was mine and I would never let him go.


	61. I'll Tell Them My Religion's You

**Chapter Sixty: And When You're Gone, I'll Tell Them My Religion's You  
Drake's POV**

"Tell me about the attack, Drake, what happened?" the doctor asked me. He had been the same man who took care of Adam and Tommy when they were sick and the man who saved Alexander's life the night before. Adam requested that I see him because, well… to be completely honest, killing Elijah was something that I honestly wouldn't ever do. Not only would I never do it, but I also couldn't really remember much of actually killing him. I remembered throwing the knife and the next thing I knew, Adam was tugging me away from his limp body…

I knew the doctor, Jonathon, was just trying to help me but I felt like he was treating me more like I was in therapy then trying to figure out why I blacked out like that or what would even cause me to attack Elijah in the first place, other than the obvious reasons. "I… I'm not entirely sure about it all. Elijah came out of the hallway, muttering to himself. He seemed upset and irritated and he gave me the creeps, but I felt like I needed to try to help him. When I asked him if he was all right, he gave me some strange answers and when I tried to walk away, he grabbed me and slammed me into a wall, pulling that damned knife on me…" I told him, shaking my head a little.

"Okay, don't get upset, Drake, it's all right to be scared. You went through a lot yesterday… It's all right. Just take your time," he said, his hands folded neatly over one knee, which was crossed over his other knee.

"He kept muttering on and on about how his attempts to kill Tommy and Adam didn't work for him and the last thing he had left was to kill me. I tried to run, but he just threw me to the ground. Every time I moved he kicked me…" I could still feel the massive bruises forming on my sides. Most of them were already dark black and covering the majority of my skin. "Then he sliced the back of my thigh open and I screamed because it hurt so bad…"

"How did you get away from him?" he asked, his pale green eyes meeting my slightly rounded ones.

"Alex came from the dining hall, shouting for me. That distracted Elijah long enough for me to push myself up… Alex decided to play hero and he got between us. He told me to run for help, but I couldn't just leave him there with a psycho… Elijah wanted to kill me. He was convinced that if he managed to kill me, Adam wouldn't have the will to do anything and Egypt would fall apart. So, in order to get to me, he stabbed Alex and tossed him to the side, like he wasn't even a person," I said, closing my eyes and repeatedly watching Alex fall, clenching his stomach tightly. "Then he started to come for me again, but I didn't run away from him. I went to Alex's side because I needed to save him…"

"What stopped Elijah from killing you too?" he asked, his tone gentle and kind.

"Adam and Tommy came rushing in from the dining hall, calling for me. Elijah dropped the knife and tried to make an escape but I just… I couldn't let him leave the palace. He tried to kill Tommy, Adam and me. He stabbed Alex and I'm sure that he's the one who killed my baby sister three years ago. He was working for Brad. He was trying to continue what Brad started a long time ago, to destroy Adam's Egypt. Anna was murdered after Brad was put in prison. It had to be Elijah who killed her. He caused so much pain and suffering. He committed so many crimes, not just against individuals but against all of Egypt and I couldn't let him leave," I said, clenching my fists tightly into my trousers. I was wearing long pants today, something I never did, just so I could hide the slash on my thigh and the horrible bruising.

"So what did you do?"

That's when I truly couldn't look at him. I glanced away, biting on my lower lip. "I just wanted to stop him. I didn't have any intentions of killing him; I just wanted to make sure he couldn't leave. Once Tommy and Adam were with Alex, I moved away, crawling over to the knife Elijah had dropped and I threw it at the servant's back. It sliced in easily and he fell to the ground…"

"How did you throw the knife so well?" he asked. "That's not something you just learn over night."

"Before my… father died, he took me hunting a lot. He taught me how to handle a knife and a gun. It was the one thing that he taught me that I actually learned very well. It was the one thing I could do that he was proud of…" I muttered. "I'd never used a weapon on a person before yesterday though, just animals."

He nodded, a soft smile stretching across his lips. "All right, so what happened after you threw the knife at him?"

I shook my head. I couldn't really remember anything but black after I pushed myself off of the floor. "I don't know. I mean… I do know, but I don't remember it. I pushed myself off the floor and then everything went black. I _know_ that I attacked him. I _know_ that I stabbed him in the chest several times until he was dead, but I don't _remember_ it at all. It's like from the moment I threw the knife to the moment Adam was pulling me away from the body… It's just not there. It's not in my mind at all. I know… I know I sound crazy, but you've got to believe that I'm not… I'm not crazy."

Jonathon shook his head with that smile still warm and comforting on his soft pink lips. "I don't believe you're crazy, Drake, not in the slightest," he said, unclasping his hands.

I was honestly caught off guard. Usually, when I thought of people doing things that they didn't remember, it was because of some sort of mental insanity. "You… You don't?" I questioned, sounding more like a child than I had in the last three years.

He chuckled ever so faintly. "No, Drake, I don't think you're crazy. Do you remember when the Pharaoh was poisoned and I told you that you were suffered from slight anxiety?" he asked and I simply nodded. "Well, I think that the informal diagnosis of 'slight' anxiety was a little off. I think you do have anxiety. It's nothing to be ashamed off or upset about. It's quite normal."

"But… I've never been like this before…" I said, frowning a little. I didn't like the idea of having a formal diagnosis of anxiety but it could have been much worse.

"Well, you probably didn't always have it, but you did have a poor childhood, which was kind of like the base for anxiety. Being taken from your mother and younger siblings didn't help much, but it wasn't too bad because you fell in love and had a great home. The rape and torture you endured with Brad started to build up the anxiety but you had a good support system to get you through that. Anna's murder was, I think, the first really big stepping stone, but still you have the love and support of your lover and friends. Recently things have gotten very bad. Your best friend fell into a coma, possibly never waking up, your husband's first true love popped up into your life, making a huge stress on your marriage, your falling out with your younger brother and your husband being poisoned and almost killed was a lot for you to handle, and your support systems were cut short because so many people were getting sick or hurt," he explained, staying calm and comforting. "Almost being murdered yourself wasn't something you could easily deal with, but watching your friend get stabbed? I think that was your cracking point. How did you feel when Alex was stabbed by that man?"

"I… felt guilty, for starters. He was stabbed because he was trying to protect me. He was in the way of me being killed and I felt like him getting hurt was my fault," I muttered. "Then I felt like he was dying and I was going to lose him just as I lost my baby sister…"

"So the grief of possibly losing someone so close to you were too devastating for you to bare. You felt hopeless and there wasn't much else for you to lose," he told me. "You lost yourself in a fit of rage. Feeling like he was going to die, that you were going to lose him was just the last thing a young man like you could possibly endure. That's when I believe your anxiety kicked in. You couldn't control it and you shouldn't feel remorse for that man. He was an awful person, a murder and you were only protecting your family and your country. There is no shame in what you did, Drake."

"But I murdered someone! I don't care about him, but I do care that I killed someone… I care that I couldn't control it and I'm afraid of what else I might do. I'm afraid of myself…" I muttered, wrapping my arms loosely around my stomach.

"You're not a murder and you don't have to worry about the episodes often. They shouldn't be frequent, but I'm going to give you a prescription that should keep your anxiety levels down to that of a regular person. As long as you take the medicine, you won't have an issue," he said, reaching into his bag to pull out a small, decorated glass bottle with dozens of tiny white, round pills inside. He handed it to me and I took it, sighing. "Just one when you wake up and you should be completely fine."

I felt like I was really was crazy.

"Will I need to take these for the rest of my life?" I asked him.

"No, probably not," he said, shaking his head. "But for now, you do need them. Just until things calm down and you start feeling normal again. We'll just need to play it by ear for a while."

"All right," I whispered, clenching the bottle in my hands. "Thank you, Jonathon."

He bowed to me. "Always a pleasure to help, My King," he said and I thanked him again, dismissing him before I stood from the bench I'd been sitting on throughout the meeting. I stretched out a little before venturing down to me bedroom, the pills held tightly in one hand. I didn't want anyone to know about them other than the people closest to me. I felt that, if people knew, they wouldn't treat me the same. I wouldn't be the Pharaoh's husband anymore. I'd be his insane lover…

Adam was just coming out of the bathroom when I walked in. He was wrapped in a towel and nothing else, water dripping from his hair. He must have bathed after sleeping in late. The only reason I was up was because I was meeting with the doctor.

"Hey baby," he said, a soft smile on his lips. I sighed, setting the pills down on my vanity after popping one into my mouth. If they were on my vanity, I'd at least remember to take them every morning, since I used my vanity every morning. Adam eyed the bottle before walking over to me, wrapping his arms loosely around my midsection, probably mindful of my bruises. "How'd it go?" he whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to my hairline.

"Well, I'm not crazy…" I muttered, turning in his arms to face him. "But he said I suffer from anxiety that's just been building up over the last couple of months and because of what Brad did to me a few years ago… He said that's why I blacked out when I attacked Elijah, that seeing him stab Alex was just like the final straw for me. It was my breaking point…"

Adam frowned, his arms tightening around me just slightly. "What did he say you should do about it?" he asked, running the fingers of his left hand through my hair, trying to sooth and comfort me.

"He gave me medicine," I said, eying the bottle on my vanity. "He said if I take one of these pills every day I'd be fine. He said I won't have to be on them forever but for now, I should take them…" Tears were gathering in my eyes and Adam frowned, kissing me gently.

"Baby, it's all right, don't get so upset… This doesn't change anything about you," he said softly, pressing another kiss to my lips. "Please try to relax. It's not your fault, baby. You've been through so much throughout your life and you're so young. I'm surprised you lasted this long without developing anxiety, but it doesn't change you. You're going to be completely fine, okay?"

I just nodded. "Just… Just don't tell anyone, please. I don't want everyone to know about this. They wouldn't treat me the same…"

He kissed me again. "Baby, I won't tell anyone. I won't tell a soul. I leave who you trust with this up to you, just know that I will always be here for you and I will always love you. I'll be your biggest support, all right?"

Tears did splash down my cheeks at that. "I love you Adam," I said, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck as I pressed a loving, hungry kiss to his lips. He moaned, palming my face in one hand and holding me close with his other arm.

"I love you too," he whispered into my lips. "More than anything else, more than life…"


	62. Here Come the Memories

This is it, guys. The final chapter of Dalila Runihura. It's kinda hard to believe that Hiei and I started this series back in, like, January and now we're done with two parts, about to start the third.

It's just.. It's crazy. It's absolutely crazy and I'm so, so freaking happy with the way this story turned out. Initially, we went into it not really know what we were going to do. We knew Tommy was going to get sick, but that was it. Bringing Alex back and all of the attacks and the poisoning and the romance and the whole general drama of this fic just came as we wrote it.

And it's kind of how we are with Azizi Eshe at the moment, too. We have one big idea, but we're probably gonna have a bunch of smaller ideas in there as we go. And we really, really hope that you guys stick around for the ride of Azizi Eshe as well. The story will be.. challenging, but you guys seem to like it when we make things challenging for our characters.

Anyways. I'm done rambling and being sentimental. Enjoy this last chapter. Till next time.

Also, Hiei will be starting Azizi Eshe (meaning Precious Life, if you don't recall). So be on the look out for that first chapter.

Love you guys. Thanks for making this series such a wonderful journey so far. 3

* * *

**Chapter Sixty-One: Here Comes The Night, Here Come The Memories**

**Adam's POV**

_I flew from the doors of the dining hall, my sandals slapping the stone floor of the palace hallway as I raced around a corner and down a long stretch that seemed to last forever. Windows and arches passed me by in a blur but I felt like I was running at a tortoise's pace, barely making it a few feet at a time. My heart hammered in my chest as sweat rolled down my face. _

_I'd only just heard the scream of pain and I instantly recognized it to be Drake's. I had been waiting for him for dinner when it sounded through the room. There was a vague memory of Alex taking off before me, but as I had pushed my way to the doors, those seated at the table, Alex and Tommy included, vanished behind me into darkness. And every step I took forward, more of everything behind me faded away. Like I was running from oblivion. _

_Panting heavily, I slowed at the corner when I felt hands grabbing at my arms. I turned, seeing Tommy standing in the darkness, his face ash white with shock and pain, tears running down his paled cheeks, and I frowned at him. "Don't, Adam," he said to me, squeezing my arms harder in his hands, "Don't go there.. Don't look.. Oh, Gods, please, please don't look, Adam…"_

"_What are you talking about Tommy? I need to go find Drake!" I told him, trying to tug free, but he only held me tighter. He was shaking like a leaf._

"_Don't go! Don't look! Don't…" He trailed off, his eyes swimming with anguish and sorrow. I pulled out of his hold, taking a step back from me as a smoke screen of black washed around him. The air felt thick and cold and I turned, hurrying around the sharp edge of the wall. But at first there was nothing. Nothing but the smoke and the _

_black and I coughed, my sweat drying cold as my breath plumed around my face. I took a step forward, feeling my foot sliding through something slick and I froze, glancing down to see the leather was soaked in red._

_Gasping, I stepped away again, my footprint left in the blood. Despite the near darkness of the hall, it gleamed as if there were thousands of lights shining upon it, glistening in its malice. My stomach churned and flopped over itself as I lifted my head, watching the smoke and the darkness clear away. The floor, stretching on and on it seemed, was soaked in red. Red sprayed the walls in a few spots and I bit my tongue, stepping forward and into the massacre._

_Bodies were piled over one another. Bodies of those who had betrayed me and my father, my grandfather and his before… Faces I didn't recognize and faces of people I used to know. Bodies and faces of those from my kingdom who had been done wrong and had been victims of hate and injustice. Innocent faces. Some where even children…_

_I carefully walked on, trying my best not to slip and fall into the mess for fear that it would suction me down and hold me there until its poison seeped into my system and soul, dragging me down to the Underworld where the rest of these poor souls were stranded. The more I walked, the more smoke cleared away until I saw the body of a young child I never met but knew all too well._

_Anna._

_Gasping in horror, I tried not to stare at her eyes, opened wide and unseeing in the faint fog of smoke that clung to her frame. Her throat was still marred with the rope used to strangle her, and I knew that if I rolled her over, her back would still bear the fresh cuts. I clenched my jaw, slowly making my way around her, a part of me fearing her pale blue eyes would snap to meet mine and she'd reach out for me with longing._

_I lifted my head, watching as a soft wind, stale with the smell of death, pushed away the last of the smoke to reveal a man who faced me though shrouded in shadow, one hand clenching crimson locks in a vice-like grip, the other wielding a knife of which the blade was buried into the chest, no doubt through the heart, and protruding out of the back of my lover._

_I stared, unable to breathe as I watched Drake's hands, locked around the wrist of the hand that held his hair, fall away. His body went slack as the man ripped the knife free of his body, letting him fall back into the thin lake of blood upon the floor. His face was pale, lips parted in a pained gasp as the horror of his expression froze, and he stared up at the ceiling in eternal sleep._

"_No!" I screamed, pushing myself forward as fast as I could, slipping and sliding through the blood before I fell to my knees beside Drake, lifting his body into my arms and cradling him to my chest. His eyes were blank, but his body was still warm in my hold and I trembled violently as the tears began to wash down my cheeks. "No.. No, Drake! Baby!" I called, pushing his hair out of his face, smearing the blood from the floor across his skin. It had gotten onto my hands when I dropped to him…_

_I whimpered, murmuring "Oh, Gods" and "Drake, no" and "Drake, please wake up" over and over, kissing his lips and trying with my heart and soul to breathe life back into him. But the more I tried, the colder he grew. The colder he grew the more my heart began to ache. I pressed kiss after kiss into his hair, his skin and his lips, anything I could to revive him.. Anything.._

_My tears splashed against his face as a shadow crossed over us. I looked up to the man who had slaughtered my baby, the urge to destroy him running hot like fire through my veins. A light glowed behind him and I could not see his face until his hand lashed out, grabbing me by my hair, pulling me off of my shins and onto my knees. I howled, holding tight Drake with one arm as I clawed at the man, tears still streaming down my face._

"_You thought you would have it all, didn't you, Adam?" His voice curled around my throat and made me tremble. My eyes widened as his face came into clear, his brown eyes pooled red with revenge and victory. "You thought you would have the perfect life, love and world.. A world your father had only ever dreamed of." _

"_No…" I whispered, shaking as Brad lifted the blade of the knife to my chest, pressing the tip into my skin through my shirt. _

"_You were wrong… Egypt is mine. And what is mine, I shall have." He hissed, shoving the knife hard through me, ripping a scream from my throat…_

Gasping, I shook awake. Sweat pooled in my hair and covered my skin in a glistening sheet. My heart thrashed in my chest as I looked around in fear, trying to find Brad in the darkness. The more I looked, though, the more I realized that the darkness of the room was not by any means of smoke but because it was dark outside. The moon was still washing through the windows of my chamber, and Drake was sleeping soundly in my arms.

I turned to him, holding my breath as I slowly lifted a hand, trailing my fingers against his cheek. Warm, soft skin ran beneath my fingertips and I sighed in relief that I had never known before. Trembling, I bent my head, pressing a soft, chaste kiss to my lover's lips, tasting the warm sweetness of his breath before I unwrapped my arms from him, careful not to wake him.

I slipped from the bed, padding naked across the floor before snatching up a silk and cotton robe from my vanity chair, pulling it on and tying it shut around me. My hands were shaking and my breath was uneven as I slid out from mine and Drake's chamber, tears welling in my eyes.

It was not uncommon of me to have that dream. It'd been a reoccurring thing since the attack, which had happened almost two months ago. I'd talked to Jonathon, the doctor who had so kindly tended to me, Tommy and Drake in all of our times of need, and I had asked him if it was normal to have such dreams to this detailed extent. He'd told me that it was perfectly normal, despite the horror of it. While he prescribed me no medicines, he told me that the dream would stop reoccurring with time.

He had told me, though, that the reasoning for my dreams was similar to the reasoning behind Drake's anxiety, and that I even had it myself, to an extent. We'd both suffered traumatic experiences in our lives; Drake endured a rough childhood and was the victim of sexual abuse and constant pain, and I had lost my family and those closest to me while under the strain of ruling a kingdom. We fell in love and suffered mistakes made by one another when they could have been prevented. We had almost lost Tommy. And we almost lost each other…

Letting out a heavy breath, I pushed off from the closed door of my chamber, walking slowly down the hallway. A cold wind washed through the open archways as I walked, a chill running down my spine as I sighed softly, slowing my pace. I came to a stop beside one of the pillars of an arch, leaning against it as I stared out across the city. Shadows of houses and buildings, the bazaar nearby dark with the night. The moon hung low and full in its orb, a few soft clouds wrapped around the sphere.

In all, Egypt was a beautiful place. Full of magic and wonder, life and liberty. I had been trying my hardest for twenty years, now, to keep it prosperous and rich. Twenty years of making peace with countries like Persia, India, France, Germany, Russia and China. Twenty years trying to better the economy, to bring down slavery and work houses. Some called me hypocritical when I explained the slavery issue, especially since I have servants of my own, but I treat them well. I treat my people like family. In fact, most of my servants had situations much like Hiei's. They had debts to pay off and I offered their freedom when they were done. And they chose to stay.

With Drake, Tommy and Alex, I'd gone at their pace. I let them warm up to me a little before taking what I wanted of them. With Drake, I hadn't been nearly so patient, but that was only because Tommy had warmed him up to the idea first. Besides, Drake had told me countless times before. I could have let him wait. But he couldn't deny me. He didn't want to.

"My Pharaoh?" A voice murmured behind me and I jumped a little, turning my head to see Cassidy coming towards me with a robe drawn tight around him, the tail ends of the fabric pooled around his ankles and dragging a little on the stone floor. It hung off his shoulders a little, tied shut. His arms were wrapped around his stomach and he frowned at me, coming to my side. "Is everything alright?" He asked.

I looked away, resting my head on the stone of the pillar, "Yes, Cassidy. Everything is fine." I told him, staring out at the city again. I drew my own robe tighter around me as another wind kicked up.

Cassidy frowned in my peripheral and he brought a hand to rest on my shoulder, "You dreamt about it again, didn't you?" He asked. I didn't say anything, nor did I move for the longest time. I stood there, with Cassidy's hand on my shoulder, staring out at the land before me in silence. Cassidy was, perhaps, the only person who knew other than Jonathon about my dreams. I didn't want to concern anyone else with them, especially Drake. He was the last person who needed to know that I dreamed about him dying in front of me on an almost nightly basis.

"Adam… I thought those stopped?" Cassidy continued and I refused to look at him, tears stinging my eyes. "You told me they stopped… like… weeks ago…" I turned a little farther away from him as a tear rolled down my cheek. Cassidy sighed softly, pulling me close and into his arms, tucking my face into his neck, his fingers running through my hair. He gently tugged out a few of the snarls from my shaggy hair, which was overgrown and pooling around my shoulders in their midnight locks.

"Drake still doesn't know, does he?" I shook my head.

"No.. Tommy and Alex don't, either. You're the only one." I admitted softly. My throat felt like it was trying to close up on me and it was hard to breathe as images from my ever repeated dream flashed through my mind.

"It's still the same, isn't it? The hallway and the smoke?"

"And Brad…" I finished, trailing off. Cassidy tensed around me, pressing a kiss to my forehead before pulling away. He sat me down on the edge of a stone bench in front of the arch. "Brad is always there…"

"I'm sorry, Adam." Cassidy whispered, but I shook my head, wiping away some of the stray tears.

"It's not your fault. I wish it didn't happen because I know at some point Drake is going to ask me why I keep waking up in the middle of the night looking like I really lost him that night when, in reality, he's right there in my arms…" I sighed shakily, running fingers through my hair as Cassidy sat down beside me, resting his hand on my thigh. I shook my head, licking my lips, "But why are you awake? Shouldn't you be with Hiei?" I asked him.

"Actually… That's what I've come to talk to you about. Hiei and I have been up talking all night." Cassidy said softly and I glanced at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Talking?" I inquired and my advisor rolled his eyes, nudging my arm.

"Hush, Adam. Like you're no better with Drake. But, yes, we were just talking." He said and I chuckled, shaking my head.

"Talking about what?" I asked him, and I watched as Cassidy's face took on such a serious look that it made my stomach churn. He looked away for a moment, biting his lip before sighing softly.

"By no regards have Hiei and I been together as long as you and Drake, but even you would agree that we are very much in love," I nodded once, smiling at him, "And… We've wanted this for quite some time, but we never found the right moment to ask you about it. But I feel like if we keep putting it off, we'll be waiting. And I can't wait anymore."

I frowned, tilting my head to the side a little. "Waiting for what, Cassidy? What do you and Hiei want?" I asked and Cassidy looked up at me, smiling soft and gentle.

"Hiei and I wish to be married."


End file.
